


The Other Path

by Fledgling



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types, mortal kombat x
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-04-25 02:20:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4942987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fledgling/pseuds/Fledgling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A life and successful career of thievery eventually takes Jin to Outworld to avoid being arrested by Special Forces. There he attracts the attention of a certain raccoon-eyed mercenary and they form a (disfunctional) partnership, because Erron could use some company and Jin likes the (sort of) job security. Of course there is flirting and sass, but feelings? Not supposed to be involved. Jin never was really good at following rules though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Say Cheese!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is an AU where Kung Jin decided to stay a thief instead of joining the Shaolin. It will mostly follow his adventures in Outworld with Erron, including working for Kotal Kahn and fighting the Kombat Kids. While canon events will still occur, they will occur differently (i.e. Jin won't interfere in an execution when the Kombat Kids come to Outworld, meaning that whole confrontation doesn't happen). It will be updated a little sporadically, as I'm working on this between a full college course load and a part-time job. I hope you enoy it, and don't hesitate with any comments or questions!

The rain drove into his skin, even through the layers of clothes he wore. He was thankful for the mask he wore over his mouth and nose at least, keeping them from freezing and becoming numb. His fingers twitched restlessly; a habit he had formed through years of stealing. He wasn’t nervous per se, not after so many successful – and unsuccessful – thefts. It was worst in the beginning, where his whole body would twitch and shudder. He learned very, very quickly that he was no pickpocket. Even now that he had settled into his role, he was leery about it.

Thunder rumbled above his head and into his skull, reminding him of his present location. The path up the mountain was soaked, but well maintained enough that he didn’t fear slipping. The narrowness did give him a moment of pause however, though he knew better then to look down. He pressed his back against the stone wall next to him, shimmying carefully across the path. Stone crumbled as he walked over it, hitting off the mountain below and falling into oblivion. He didn’t linger.

The doors of the temple loomed ahead of him, more foreboding then the stone lions beside them. He paused momentarily, wondering why he was here. His family had disowned him years ago. He had known his cousin as more of a hero figure then anything, only spending a few brief moments with him in person. He shook his head violently and shoved the door open. It didn’t matter now why he was here; there was no turning back.

The inside of the temple was warm, a fact that Jin gladly embraced. He lowered his mask, breathing deeply. Incense burned heavily enough to taste, making him crinkle his nose; it was better than breathing through wet fabric though. He stepped carefully through the entryway, practice making every step quiet despite his rain-slicked shoes. He looked around and sighed, not exactly sure which way he needed to go.

Several doors later he still had no idea where anything was. He had to be getting close, the place wasn’t _that_ big. A large hallway, as wide as it was tall, stretched before him with a door sitting at the end. He cursed under his breath as he heard soft footsteps steadily getting closer to his location. He dashed down the hallway and pushed the door at the end open without hesitation, diving inside. The footsteps passed by unknowing, and Jin took a moment to observe the room he was in.

He was surrounded by pictures and artifacts, each one presumably of a fallen warrior. Staring at him from the end of the room was Kung Lao himself, glowing hat perched on his head and serious expression on his face. More importantly, underneath the painting sat the jade statuette. He approached hesitantly, as if the figure would come to life and bite him at any moment. The paintings judged him from the walls, but he was used to glares of disdain and disapproval. He carefully plucked the statuette up, cradling it in his hands. It was beautiful, if nothing else. He turned and fled, not giving himself time to for second guessing.

The statuette bit into his hand with the tightness of his grip, and he thought about how he must look right now, soaked to the bone and grasping a statuette like his life depended on it. He grit his teeth and pulled his mask back up as he stepped back outside into the storm. It had started to rain harder while he was inside, and he looked down at the item clutched in his fist. A shiver of apprehension crawled up his neck, and he started to walk off; the feeling had never led him wrong before.

“It has more sentimental than monetary value.”

Shit. There it was.

“Nevertheless, I’d prefer you did not _steal_ it.”

The Thunder God approached him, eyes glowing under his hat. Jin sneered, gesturing with the statuette. “It is a family heirloom, one that should not have been given to you.”  
Raiden stared him down, then outstretched his arm. A shock ran through Jin’s hand, and the statuette was gone, reappearing in a flash in the god’s hand.

“Your family honored me with this memento of your cousin Lao,” He stared sorrowfully at the item. “after his death.”

“A death you caused.” Jin shouted. “You made him fight Shao Kahn, and stood there while that bastard snapped his neck!” It might have been a low blow, but Jin was getting antsy.  
Raiden approached him, sparking dangerously. “You go to far.”

“No, not far enough.” Jin reached for his bow, gripping it tightly. He realized that fighting a man who shot lightning from his hands while he and everything around him was soaked probably wasn’t a good idea, but couldn’t bring himself to care. He was cold and frustrated, and a fight would do him some good.

Raiden lunged at him, lightning surrounding him as he grabbed Jin around the waist and throwing him to the ground. Jin sprung back to his feet immediately, already blocking the next attack. Fighting was something he was used to and, honestly, enjoyed. A smack with the head of his bow sent his opponent reeling back, enough for him to pull an arrow from his quiver and fire. It stuck in the god’s shoulder, causing him to grunt.

“Well what do you know, gods do bleed.” Jin hissed, lining up his next shot. The arrow glowed blue, leaving a trail of color in its wake as it sailed through the air. It hit above the knee, and Raiden froze in place. Jin dashed forward, placing one foot on Raiden’s leg and using it to flip backwards, landing a solid kick to his chin with the other foot. The god’s head snapped back with a sickening crunch, and he fell to the ground limp.

Jin panted, making sure the god was down for the count before placing his bow back. He shook his head and walked off. He didn’t care that he didn’t have the statuette anymore; beating the god was more than sufficient a prize.  
The air before him crackled and Raiden appeared, expression dark. Jin clenched his jaw.

“Just let me go!” Jin shouted as he reached for his bow again.

“Blood of Kung Lao, descendant of the great Kung Lao, a petty thief.” He advanced on Jin, making him back away. Jin suddenly became very aware of the ledge a few feet behind him. “Did you think you could walk unimpeded into my temple, and walk out again, without my complicity?”

Jin glared at the god as realization set in. “You wanted me to attack you. Why?”

“To release your anger.”

“Yeah, and make me feel like shit.”

“I see.” Raiden shook his head, a sigh escaping his frown. “Kung Jin, the life you currently lead will only end in suffering. I only wish to spare you that.” He approached the thief and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Go to the Order of the White Lotus. Join them, as your cousin did. Take the brighter path.”

Jin shrugged off the hand. “They won’t accept someone like me.”

“The Shaolin do not care about whom your heart desires, only what is in it.”

“It’s one thing to say it; it’s another for it to actually be true.” Jin shook his head. “Sorry Raiden, but you can keep your brighter path. I’m doing fine on this one.”  
Jin marched off, ignoring the god’s shouts and the increase in the rain.. He would be fine.

 

_Three Years Later_

“Hey man, I think it’d be a great movie, but that’s just me… what, no, I’m not biased! Well, maybe a little… hey, just think it over, we’ll see how it goes, yeah? Talk to ya later man!”

Johnny Cage hummed under his breath as he walked down the street, shoving his phone in his pocket. His feet stumbled every few steps, the only indication of his slight intoxication. He turned the corner of the street he was walking on, and stretched his arms above his head, humming turning to whistling.

“Hey, aren’t you Johnny Cage?”

Johnny turned and grinned at the young man jogging up behind him. “Yeah, that’s me!”

“That’s so cool! I’m a huge fan!” The hood of his jacket obscured most of the man’s face, but Johnny could see the wide smile.

“Hey, is there any way I could get a picture?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” Johnny smirked and pulled his sunglasses out of the V of his t-shirt collar, flicking them open and placing them on his face. He pushed them a bit down his nose so his eyes were still visible over the top. So caught up in getting his look just right he didn’t notice the stranger’s smile dim into something predatory. The hooded man walked beside him and flung an arm around his shoulder, holding a phone out in front of them.

“Say cheese!”

Johnny opened his mouth to say something, but the flash of the camera caught him off guard, far too bright in the darkness. He felt and heard the other man move away in a rush of footsteps and rustling fabric.

“Hey, hold up!” Johnny called, blinking the spots out of his eyes. He reached up to remove his sunglasses to rub his eyes, except –

“You asshole!” Johnny took off in the direction of the thief, checking his pockets. Yep, still had his phone, wallet, and keys. He barely glimpsed the man turning the corner into a dead-end alley and sprinted after him. By the time he got there though, the other had disappeared.

“Damnit!” Johnny groaned, kicking a trashcan. He shook his head, continuing his walk to his car with wounded pride; he had plenty of other sunglasses. From the top of one of the buildings in that made the alley, Jin watched the movie star sulk off with a smug grin. He looked down at his prize in his hand. They would sell quick, but Jin was more interested in the price. Although he was pretty proud of this one, stealing the sunglasses off Johnny Cage’s face. With a chuckle Jin pocketed the sunglasses, climbing down the fire escape and disappearing into the darkness. The night was still young, after all.


	2. Cornered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S-F tries to recruit Jin, with expected results. Jin may be in over his head (as per usual).

Jin stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. A multitude of cracks ran along the surface, as if someone had begun to draw a map and didn’t finish it. He had the pattern memorized at this point, many nights passed by without sleep. Nightmares haunted Jin, memories from his passed distorted and altered by the night.

Not for the first time, Jin thought back to his meeting with Raiden. He had been so angry, he hadn’t really cared about anything the god had to say. He had been trying to help, in his own way. His intentions were well meant. Yet Jin had barely even listened to what he had to say, hadn’t wanted to hear it. What would have happened if he had taken him up o his offer?

Jin flipped over, burying his face into his pillow. It was always the same: he’d get angry, act out because of it, and then it would come to haunt him later. The dark corners of his mind cackled, throwing more memories in his face. Accidentally shooting a bystander in the arm while escaping from the police, panicking and knocking someone out and leaving them in an alley after he tried to pickpocket them. All because he lost control and lashed out.

His teeth groaned with the force of his jaw clenching. How many people had he hurt? How many people couldn’t live their lives the same anymore because of him?

With a shout Jin jumped out of bed, throwing on a hoodie and socks as he marched out of his bedroom. His sweatpants were twisted around his legs uncomfortably, a result of him flailing in his sleep. He adjusted them as he stepped into his sneakers, glad he hadn’t bothered to unlace them the last time he wore them. He grabbed his keys off the hook by the door and exited his small apartment, locking the door behind him.

The sky was only barely beginning to change from the black of night into the orange of morning, the air still cool. Jin took a moment to let the sleeping city wash over him: a bird sang from the top of a light post, a car started up a few blocks away, the wind gently blew an old newspaper down the road. In a few hours it would be overtaken by car horns and the swarm of people going about their day, laughing and crying and shouting. Jin would be back at home by then, hopefully; he hated crowds.

He started jogging down the sidewalk, headed into downtown. He entertained the idea of going back inside and grabbing his iPod, but felt no real motivation to turn around. The sounds of the city would have to suffice.

Halfway through his jog Jin noticed he was being followed. The car was a dirty white, one headlight busted and the other one barely working. The emblem showing what model it was had been taken off at some point, leaving a patch of bare metal underneath. Jin paused at a crosswalk and pretended to look around for traffic before crossing. The windows had been tinted dark enough that he couldn’t make out any details about the driver.

Jin continued unfazed however, knowing that if he needed to he could escape into the maze of alleyways the city hosted. A car was too large to fit into them, and if whoever was in there decided to come after him on foot it was simple to out run them. For all that everyone joked about parkour being ridiculous, Jin was a master at using it to make clean getaways.

A small construction site lay ahead of him, machines frozen in poses of work. Jin frowned, looking the site over as he got closer. It should have been busy, workers trying to accomplish as much as they could before the heat of the day set in. It was only when he saw the second vehicle, this one a blacked out SUV, coming down the opposite side of the street that he realized he was in trouble.

He immediately ran into the site, hearing car doors open and slam shut behind him. He guessed maybe ten people were now chasing after him, odds he didn’t like. He dove behind a stack of barrels, peeking around them to see if he was right.

Six men and three women in jeans and black hoodies were picking their way through the area, flashlights and handguns stretched out in front of them. A fourth woman stood at the entrance looking in, making sure he wouldn’t get out undetected that way. They were all built like football players and clearly confident in what they were doing. These were no gang members or cops.

Someone really wanted him for something. 

One of the men was coming over towards the barrels Jin hid behind, footsteps slow but sure. Jin swallowed, evaluating his options. He could run for it and get shot, try to fight him and probably get slammed to the ground, or attempt to knock the barrels over on top of him and hope that bought him some time while attracting the attention of everyone else in the area.

As the man got closer, Jin peeked around the barrels again, getting a better look now that the man was closer. Jin frowned and squinted at the man’s left leg. Something about the shape was odd; it bulged at the knee, and every so often he would stumble slightly. Jin grinned sharply. He was wearing a knee brace.

Jin shifted his position behind the barrels, bracing himself as the man finally came to the barrels. The man stopped, staring at the stack before slowly circling them. Jin took a deep breath; he saw the gun first, and sprung into action. He stood and grabbed the man’s wrist, snapping it backwards with a crack. He immediately raised his leg and brought the heel down on the injured knee, wishing he had worn his boots. Even in his sneakers, the results were the same: the man’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground limp. Jin grabbed the dropped gun and sprinted into farther into the construction area after making sure the safety was on.

The bare steel beams that would eventually be the foundation of a multistory building reached towards the lightening sky like broken ribs. Tools and pieces of steel lay scattered around their bases, Jin carefully navigating around them to avoid knocking anything over and making a racket. Someone had found their fallen teammate and was shouting orders to the others. He didn’t have much time.

Scaffolding sprawled across the beams seemingly without pattern, stretching from one floor to another. As he climbed up the ladder to the first floor, realized this probably was a dumb move. While unfinished, the building was several stories high, and as far as he could tell the ladder he was climbing was the only way up or down. He didn’t think on it any longer however as flashlight beams were filling the area.

The scaffolding was little more than two boards tied together and placed down on the beams. It wobbled dangerously as he walked across, bowing in the middle with a pained groan. Jin swore as he hopped off, quickly maneuvering so he could begin to climb up to the next section.

There was no ladder.

Jin stared at the spot the ladder obviously should be for a moment before sighing. He had been set up big time.

“Put your hands up!”

Jin watched as one of the women strode across the scaffolding, gun out in front of her. Jin tightened his grip on the gun he had taken off the injured man, but didn’t click the safety off. He wasn’t a murderer. He raised his hands above his head, making sure to keep his fingers away from the gun’s trigger. The woman hesitated upon seeing it, but remained calm.

“Slowly place the gun on the beam.”

Jin complied, kneeling and setting the gun down. He rose up just as slowly, not wanting to startle the woman into accidentally firing. She stared him down for a moment longer before nodding and stepping off the scaffolding.

“Cross slowly. Hands remain in the air.”

Jin nodded, taking careful steps towards her. Two other people stood at the other end of the scaffolding, one with their gun aimed at him and the other pointing a flashlight in his direction. He heard the woman pick up the gun behind him and once he was across she followed. The person holding the flashlight moved to the ladder first, climbing down and aiming the light at the top. The other followed, then Jin. As soon as his feet hit the ground his arms were grabbed roughly and forced behind his back, cuffs snapping on. The woman looked up as she stepped off the ladder, making a motion with her hand. Jin followed her gaze, watching the dark form of a sniper move at the very top of the building.

“Lot of effort for little ol’ me.”

The woman gestured the two people forward, grabbing Jin’s arm and pulling him after them. “You have a reputation.”

“Should I feel flattered or concerned?”

He received a glare in response. The black SUV was sitting in front of the exit, back door already opened. He stepped carefully inside, sitting next to the man wearing the knee brace. The woman slid in after him, sitting in the seat across from him. The man grabbed the chain from the cuffs and hooked it to something behind his back, effectively trapping him. A seatbelt was pulled against his chest.

“Thank you darling.” Jin said, turning to face the man. The man laughed and lowered his hood, revealing none other than Johnny Cage.

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” he cooed, reaching down and pulling up his pant leg, removing the brace around his knee. “That was a pretty sweet kick, by the way. Too bad I don’t actually have a bad knee.”

Jin frowned, feeling dumb. “Guess your not as bad of an actor as everyone says.” He stretched his legs out as best he could, taking a moment to look around the vehicle. The inside had been modified so that the second row of seats was turned around to face the third. The woman had her arms crossed in front of her, clearly unimpressed by their banter. “By the way,” Jin grinned wickedly. “your sunglasses sold for $450.”

Johnny froze, slowly turning his head to stare at Jin. “Run that by me again?”

Jin simply grinned at him. “Say cheese.”

“You son of a bitch!” Johnny laughed, much to Jin’s confusion. “That was pretty slick. How’d you disappear like that?”

Jin stared at him. “You’re not mad?”

“Nah, I got about a dozen more pairs of the things.”

Jin huffed, slouching into the seat. He had been hoping for anger, or at least wounded pride. “So is this your way to get revenge?”

“No, this is my operation.” The woman spoke up, removing her hood as well. “I’m General Blade of Special Forces.”

Jin blinked. “Special Forces? What did I do to piss you guys off?”

“Nothing yet.”

Jin cocked his head to the side. “So, why the whole set up then?”

The general was silent. Jin looked to Johnny for answers, but he just shrugged. “I’m just a lackey here.”

“You’ll be given information once we arrive at our destination. Until then, be quiet and behave.”

“Which one of us are you talking to exactly?” Johnny asked. The same glare Jin got earlier was directed at him, though he just laughed it off. Jin looked between the two of them curiously.

“So where exactly did you learn to fight?” Jin asked the actor. Johnny grinned brightly, turning to face him. Sonya muttered something under her breath along the lines of ‘here we go again’.

The SUV slowly rolled to a stop as Johnny finished his story, the engine cutting off and leaving silence. A sharp series of taps hit the window, and Sonya answered with a different pattern. The door swung open, revealing a small group of men in SWAT gear. Johnny reached behind Jin and unclipped the handcuff chain, keeping a firm grip on it as Jin crawled out.

“Quite the welcome wagon.” Jin muttered.

He got no response, the soldiers forming a circle around the three of them and heading into the maze of buildings. Jin took a quick inventory of his surroundings, counting the guard towers he could see and estimating the height of the chain link and razor wire fence surrounding the base. All the buildings were uniform in color and nearly uniform in size and shape.

They didn’t walk far before the soldiers broke off, standing in a line behind as Johnny led him into a building. The halls were a dull gray, the brightness of the ceiling lights only adding to the sterile feeling. Several hallways and two flights of stairs later Jin was led into a small room that held two chairs one either side of a table and a mirror on one wall.

“If all you wanted was to talk you could’ve asked me out to lunch instead. I know a great diner downtown, was actually where I was headed this morning for breakfast before I was so rudely interrupted.” Jin quipped as he sat in the chair opposite the mirror. The cuffs were removed and replaced with ones attached to each arm of the chair. The chains were long enough to allow him some movement, about half an arm’s length. Johnny waved cheerily as he exited the room, and Jin blew him a kiss in return.

“Please don’t encourage him.” General Blade said as she walked in, a thick file in hand. She set it on the table and opened it, flipping through it briefly before closing it again and sitting across from him.

“Would you like anything to drink?” she asked.

Jin shrugged. “Some water would be nice if you don’t mind. I had quite the workout this morning.”

She nodded and walked over to the door, speaking softly to someone on the other side. She closed the door and returned to her seat, arms resting on the table.

“I apologize for having to bring you in in such a matter, however we knew you would not come willingly. The cuffs are a precaution to make sure you don’t try to fight or flee.”

“You seem to know quite a bit about me, general.”

“I have reliable sources.”

The door opened, and Sonya walked over to it, accepting the bottle of water and the styrofoam cup. She passed the bottle to Jin, taking a drink out of the cup herself. She set it down on the table and Jin caught a glimpse of black liquid.

“Do you always drink industrial strength coffee or is that in preparation for dealing with me?”

Sonya scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. This is reserved for when I have to deal with Cage for extended periods of time.”

Jin laughed, taking a drink from his bottle. “Aw, what’s wrong with Johnny?”

Sonya glared at him hotly, flipping the file back open. “How old are you, Kung Jin?”

Jin frowned. “Just Jin, if you don’t mind. And I’m,” he paused. “twenty-two.” When was the last time he celebrated his birthday?

“You live at 1700 Third Street, apartment 3C?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve been on your own for six years?”

Jin grit his teeth against the quick flood of memories. “You could say that.”

The general looked up at him, her gaze calculating. Jin glared back. Eventually she nodded, turning back to the file.

“You’ve been arrested and charged a handful of times, mainly for theft or attempted theft, a few times for aggravated assault, and once for vandalism of city property.”

Jin giggled. “I had forgotten about that one.”

Sonya blinked. “You spray painted a large penis on the side of the mayor’s Porsche.”

Jin shrugged. “What can I say? The guy’s a giant dick.”

Sonya stared at him before groaning and putting her hand over her eyes. “Maybe I will need this coffee to deal with you.”

Jin gave her best shit-eating grin. “Told you so.”

The general took a long drink of coffee, cracking her neck. “It says that when you were charged with assault you seemed remorseful of your actions and apologized deeply to the victims in most cases.”

The grin disappeared quickly. “Most of them were accidents that happened when I was stealing something. I don’t – my intention was never to hurt anyone physically.”

Sonya nodded. “But you have no qualms stealing from people?”

“It’s not like I’m stealing from the homeless. In the beginning I wasn’t as good a guy about it, but now if I steal something it’s from someone who really won’t miss it.”

“I see. There is one instance where you were charged with an assault that occurred outside a bar. At the trial it was observed that you were proud of your actions.” Sonya sat back in her chair. “What made that one different?.”

Jin smiled. “I _was_ proud of that one. Some asshole kept harassing this group of girls in the bar, grabbing them and trying to put his hands up their shirts and shit. The bouncers kicked him out, but he just hung around and started harassing the people outside. The girls were really nervous about walking to their car when they got ready to leave, afraid he would chase them. I offered to escort them out and they took me up on it. We walked outside and sure enough the guy started following us across the parking lot. He tried to grab one of them, I told him to back off. He didn’t listen and tried to do it again, so I knocked him on his ass. He got pissy and filed charges.”

Sonya nodded, pulling a pen out of her pocket and jotting down something in the file. “Seems a bit chivalrous for a criminal.”

“Just because I’m a criminal doesn’t mean I don’t have morals. It’s just that your average person wouldn’t agree with most of them.”

“I see.”

“Look.” Jin sat forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Yes, I steal from people. Yes, I get into fights and enjoy them for the most part. But like I said earlier, I only steal from people who won’t miss what I take, and I don’t fight people unless they have it coming.”

“So that makes stealing and beating people up okay in your book.”

“Yes.”

Sonya closed the file and set it aside, grabbing her coffee and taking a long drink from it. She held it in her lap, spending several moments lost in thought. Jin began to fidget in his seat, fiddling with the cuffs on his wrists.

“I’ll be honest with you Jin. We’ve been watching you for a while. You’re extremely good at what you do, and we know there are multiple acts of theft that you’ve never been caught for. You’re good at covering your tracks and getting out of tricky situations one way or another.” The general turned her eyes to him, and Jin fought not to squirm under the intensity. “We want you to join Special Forces.”

Jin blinked dumbly. “Come again?”

“You naturally have skills that most of our operatives need years of training to obtain. You’re comfortable making questionable decisions, and don’t outwardly appear to dwell on them. These are skills our operatives need to have.”

“So what, you want your own personal dirtbag? Am I gonna be your scapegoat too?”

“It’s not like that.”

“So you say.”

“Look, Jin. This is your chance to redeem yourself. Give up being a criminal and join S-F; your entire criminal record will be erased upon completion of training.”

“Erasing it from a computer doesn’t erase it from history.”

“Jin, you can’t continue on as a criminal. It won’t end well for you.”

“Jeez, where have I heard that before.” Jin mumbled.

Sonya sighed. “Raiden said you would be difficult to convince.”

Immediately Jin tensed up. “Did he put you up to this?”

“No, the idea was ours. He did encourage us, however, and gave us information we didn’t have.”

“Reliable source, huh?”

“He means well. As do we.” Sonya set her cup on the table. “I’ve met people like you, Jin. You wouldn’t be the only person on base with a criminal past. Hell, I was arrested once for beating the shit out of someone. We just want to give you the chance to become a better person.”

“Mhm. I like the person I am at the moment, honestly.” There was a little bit of truth in there at least.

“There is no way I can convince you to see otherwise?”

“Doubtful.”

“Very well.” The general stood, picking up the file and her cup and exiting the room.

Jin stared at himself in the mirror, wondering who was watching him on the other side. Probably Johnny. He waved at it, imagining Johnny waving back on the other side. He looked around the room, noting the camera in the corner behind him to the left. He faked a yawn, reaching up with one hand to rub at the back of his neck. Deft fingers unclipped the necklace he wore, letting it fall down his hoodie and settle in his lap. Jin rest his hands in his lap, one on top of the other. He picked the necklace up and shoved it up his sleeve, wrapping the cord around his forearm and clipping to together. The necklace had gotten him out of tight spots many times before. The two teeth on the cord hid a simple lock pick and a small knife, perfect for getting out of cuffs or ropes. Now all he had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity.

Two soldiers walked into the room, one standing by the door and the other coming over to him. The cuffs were undone and replaced with the same pair from earlier, though his hands were in front of him. He was led out the door and guided in a different direction from the one he came in. The door at the end of the hallway opened into an elevator with a third soldier standing inside. There were no buttons inside; instead, when the door closed, they automatically began to rise. The short ride ended and all three soldiers stepped out with him, leading him towards a large set of double doors. They slid open and Jin squinted against the morning sunlight.

General Blade approached him as his eyes adjusted, holding an object in her hands. He recognized it, having seen one briefly years ago. It was a portal creator, used for travel to different realms. Sonya put the device in one of the pouches of her belt. She jerked her head in a direction and they began to trek across the base.

Jin idly rubbed his wrist, pretending to be rubbing at the skin around his cuff. He stuck two fingers under his sleeve and flicked the lock pick open, dragging it down his arm until it peeked out under his sleeve. He questioned for a moment if this was another set up; they had cuffed his hands in front of him, and had cuffed below his sleeves instead of on them. He shook his head and stuck the pick in the lock on the cuffs. They popped open easily, Jin holding them together so they appeared to still be on him. The soldiers didn’t seem to notice, keeping their heads forward as they marched. Jin took a steadying breath, formulating a quick plan in his head.

Jin pretended to trip, falling to the ground with his hands out in front of him. The soldier behind him, not expecting the sudden stop, knocked into him. Jin quickly snapped out his arm, the edge of his hand coming down against the soldiers throat. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell with a grunt. Jin immediately turned on the other soldiers, smashing his heel into one’s nose with a crunch and using the momentum to drive his knee into the other’s stomach. They both shouted in pain, though didn’t black out like the first. It bought Jin enough time to do what he needed however.

The general had turned around at the sounds of pain and now stood in a fighting stance. Jin mirrored her, giving her a second to think he wanted to fight before lunging and grabbing at the pouch she put the portal device in. It tore open easily and he wrapped his fingers around the device. He drew his hand out and shoved his shoulder into Sonya’s jaw, knocking her back and disorienting her. He took off running, hearing her barking orders.

The device had a small screen at the top and several buttons below, looking a lot like a calculator. Jin realized belatedly he had no idea how to use it. He began pushing buttons as he swore, watching as the word ‘ERROR’ popped up repeatedly. Sirens were wailing, and he could hear dozens of heavy boots hitting the pavement.

“Why the fuck did I think this was a good idea?” he muttered, growing desperate. Finally the device beeped at him, the message ‘DESTINATION SET’ blinking up at him. A swirling portal opened up in front of him. Jin sent a quick prayer to whoever would listen that he wasn’t headed to the Netherrealm and leapt through the portal into the unknown.


	3. Unexpected Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jin gets spit out into the deserts of Outworld and realizes he probably went from the frying pan into the fire. Quite literally, if the heat is anything to go by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erron and Ermac are my BrOTP

Immediately Jin started to burn. The portal spit him out into the sand, letting it swallow him up to his ankles before closing. The sun seared his back, immediately making him start to sweat under his hoodie. Jin swore, looking around him. All he could see was sand and sky in every direction. He looked at the device in his hand. OUTWORLD flashed on the screen, making him sigh. Well, it wasn’t the Netherrealm, though he probably wasn’t a whole lot better off.

Jin shook his head, shoving the device in his pocket. He tore his hoodie off, letting it bunch around his shoulders. Sunburn wasn’t nearly as bad as heatstroke. He rolled his pants up to his knees, wishing again he had his boots. Sand was slowly creeping into his sneakers, though thankfully it hadn’t worked its way into his socks yet. Jin looked around one more time before setting off in the opposite direction of the sun. The sand held a tight grip onto his feet, not wanting to let them go so he could walk. Eventually he wiggled them loose, though they sank right back down into it again. 

Jin groaned, trying to remember anything he had learned in the past about surviving in the desert. Finding water was important, as was not succumbing to the heat. Food was a secondary goal. He watched the ground carefully as he walked, not wanting to risk stepping on a snake, or the Outworld equivalent. Sweat was running down his back and being absorbed by the waistband of his sweatpants.

By the time Jin had navigated down the dune and onto the next, he was exhausted. He collapsed onto the ground, taking the sleeve of his hoodie and using it to wipe off his face. The wind was throwing sand at him, the tiny grains rubbing his skin raw in places. He wrapped the sleeve around his mouth and nose to guard against sand getting in them. Jin looked around, hoping to see signs of water or people. He wasn’t surprised to see neither. Jin pulled the portal device out of his pocket, staring down at it. He could always try to go back to Earthrealm, though he’d probably end up in the middle of General Blade’s base.

Jin sighed and stood, continuing to walk into the desert. He was screwed.

Several hours later Jin was still walking, no closer to finding water or people. The sun had finally set and taken the heat with it. Jin touched his back briefly, hissing at the tender feeling. He was sure it was a bright pink, maybe even already turning red. He considered giving up and resting for the night, but trudged on in the end. It was best to cover ground while the heat wasn’t terrible; he could rest tomorrow.

He realized his mistake when his knees buckled not even an hour later. His throat felt full of glass shards, each dry swallow making them shift. His eyes stung from the harsh light and wind he had been fighting all day. His stomach thankfully was past the initial pangs of hunger, but the persistent ache remained, one he was unfortunately familiar with. The coolness of night was stark against the heat the sun had, and while it was pleasant now, it would likely soon drop to freezing. Jin pushed himself up onto his legs with determination alone, continuing his stumbling journey. He had to fine water, or shelter, or people, _anything_ besides sand.

As Jin walked through the valley between two dunes he heard voices coming towards him, speaking in a language he couldn’t understand. Jin looked around him, wondering if he should try to hide or run until he could tell if they were friendly. Neither was really an option, but the thought persisted. Under the voices were the sounds of animals and equipment clanging against each other, metal scraping metal and leather. The first animal came into view and Jin blinked in surprise.

It looked like a horse, in fact Jin was sure it was a horse. A hood covered its head to protect it from the sand, its eyes and nose barely visible. A bundle of cloth was on its back, and Jin squinted, making out the shape of a rifle on the top of it. The horse had a rope attached to its bridle under the hood, tethering it to a second horse. The second horse had a rider on its back, and Jin locked eyes with him before promptly passing out.

~~  
Jin came to slowly, head spinning and full of cotton. A fire was crackling in front of him, giving off a small, dry heat. A blanket, or something similar, was laid overtop of him. Jin curled his hand into the rough fabric and pulled it closer to his body, brow furrowing. His body kept flashing between hot and cold, a thin layer of sweat covering his body. A fever. 

A hand gently shook his shoulder, then again more insistently when he didn’t respond. He managed a weak groan and cracked his eyes open unseeingly. One hand turned into two, propping him up slightly and pressing something to his lips. He tried to protest, but it died quickly as the object was tipped towards him and water poured into his mouth. He drank greedily, only stopping to breathe when the object (it was a bottle or canteen of some sort) was pulled away. He was laid back down and the blanket pulled up higher on his body. A hand brushed against his forehead followed by a damp cloth. Jin shivered, the fever making his nerves hypersensitive. The cloth remained as the hands disappeared, and Jin drifted back into darkness.

The hands were propping him up again as he came to the second time, and he licked his still dry lips, hoping for water. Something different was pressed against his mouth, but it was still cup shaped, so Jin opened his mouth regardless. The liquid was warm and bitter, and Jin groaned but didn’t have the strength to pull away. He drank until the cup was empty and taken away, making a face at the dirt aftertaste it left in his mouth. The owners of the hands were speaking again in the language he didn’t understand (or maybe they were using a language he knew and he was just too sick to tell) as he was laid back down. He tried to open his eyes, to speak, but only managed to twitch and groan before going under again.

The third time he came to he felt much better, the only signs of his illness the dirt aftertaste and an ache in his bones. He sat up slowly, the fabric falling off his body and pooling in his lap. He lifted it up and looked at it, neat stitch work where rips had been, tattered at the ends, a hole where a head was meant to go. Jin shrugged and let it fall to his lap, looking around. He was in a stone canyon, the high walls protecting the bottom from sand and wind. He heard movement behind him and barely turned his head before he felt the barrel of a gun against the back of his skull.

“Kind of a waste to heal me then kill me.” he said. The gun was pressed harder against his head.

"Can’t question ya if your unconscious.” The voice was distinctly Southern, and Jin had to wonder who the hell he was dealing with. “Now state your business, Earthrealmer.”

“Judging from that accent you’re no stranger to Earthrealm either.” Why could he never just shut up? “I’m here on accident honestly.”

“Accident? You _accidentally_ crossed from one realm to another? Two realms that, honestly, don’t like each other that much.”

“You know when you put it that way it sounds really dumb.”

“It is.”

“Look,” Jin sighed. “I have a device in my pocket that creates portals between realms. I stole it and used it to escape Earthrealm. Getting sent to Outworld was complete chance.”

“Really now?” A hand appeared and dug into his pockets, fishing the device out. His interrogator said something to someone and after a moment they replied. The first person grunted, tossing the device back into Jin’s lap. “Who’d you steal it from?”

Jin weighed his options, eventually deciding the truth was the best. “General Sonya Blade of Special Forces.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, I used it to escape. S-F had me in custody, it was my only option.”

Boots shifted in the sand. “What’d you do to piss them off?”

“Before beating up a bunch of guards and escaping custody, nothing. They wanted to ‘recruit’ me. Rather forcefully.” Jin fiddled with the poncho in his lap. “I’m a thief, a rather good one, and apparently that’s prime recruitment material.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I still think they just wanted a personal dirtbag, but I guess it doesn’t really matter now.”

Jin was met with silence. The gun didn’t move, yet he could sense movement behind him. He felt a prickling at the base of his skull, which grew stronger until it disappeared completely. Finally the gun was removed from his head, and boots moved in the sand until their owner appeared in front of Jin. He looked up, not surprised to see the same person from earlier. The gun, a revolver, was holstered, and the man bent down and picked the poncho up out of Jin’s lap. He threw it on over his head, and Jin vaguely recalled him having a hat on before. A hand was offered to him, and he took it with a little hesitation. The man pulled him up easily, and Jin gave himself a moment to admire the man’s arms before bringing his eyes back up to his face.

“If you’re story is true – and I’m still not entirely convinced – then I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did out here.”

"I know how to survive." Jin replied, belatedly realizing his hoodie was gone as he tried to pull it down over his chest. The man nodded and walked over to the horses standing calmly in the shade of the canyon wall, motioning for Jin to follow. As Jin approached he saw they were, in fact, not normal horses. Their skin was like stone, pale gray and surprisingly cool to the touch.

“They’re meant for traveling through the desert. They rarely need water or food, only eating about once a month. Unfortunately they also have very short life expectancies.”

“How short?” Jin rubbed the nose of one, smiling as it pressed into his hand.

"Only about ten years. Here,” a bundle of cloth was shoved into Jin’s arms. “put that on.”

Jin nodded and unfolded the bundle, revealing a simple pair of pants and a shirt, both made of a brown material. He threw the shirt on first, hissing as the slightly rough fabric agitated his skin. It was a size too large thankfully, so the contact was minimal. He took his shoes and socks off, shoving his socks down in the sneakers, and shucked off his sweatpants very much aware of the eyes on him. He pulled the pants on and snorted as they immediately slid down a few inches. The man chuckled quietly and handed him a length of rope. Jin nodded and took it, grateful the pants had belt loops. The makeshift belt was tied and he let the shirt drop down over it. The man handed him one last item, a poncho similar to his own but larger and tan instead of rusty brown. He slipped it on and pulled it over his shoulders, the ends of the fabric brushing against the backs of his knees.

The man nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but shut it quickly and whipped his head around. He stared into the distance for a moment before swearing and picking up Jin’s clothes, shoving them into the pack on the horses back. He tied the pack quickly then moved to the other horse, checking its saddle.

“Ever ride a horse before kid?”

“No, but I’m about to now aren’t I?”

“Yep.” The man swung easily into the saddle, holding a hand out for Jin. Jin took it and the man pulled him up easily as if he was nothing more than a sack of flour. He wrapped his arms around the man in front of him, beginning to hear the sounds of many people heading in their direction. The second man, who had been silent so far, hopped onto the third horse. The hood of his black and red coat hid his face, though a soft green glow was present from within. Jin didn’t have time to think about it as the horse under him jumped forward, taking off quickly. The horse tethered to it matched its stride, the third keeping pace behind them.

“Ever used a gun?” the man asked.

“Once or twice. I’m more a bow guy.”

The man reached over and took the rifle off the top of the pack, handing it to Jin. “You have six shots. Use them wisely. Pull the lever on top back and release it to reload.”

Jin gulped and nodded, gripping the weapon tightly. The voices were growing louder, sounding like they were all around them. It was only when a arrow whizzed past Jin’s ear from his right that he realized they actually were.

The green glow from the second man increased briefly and surrounded his hand. He made a throwing motion and a large rock, also surrounded in the green glow, flew through the air, smashing into the top of the canyon and sending several people flying away. Jin looked behind them and saw dozens more chasing them. A shout, and Jin watched in amazement as the top of the canyon walls glowed, crumbling and falling to the ground, effectively blocking the approaching group.

Jin whipped his head around at the sound of a gun shot, the man having pulled out one of his revolvers and blasting someone’s head off as they passed. Jin remembered the gun in his hands and hoisted it up to his shoulder, staring down the sights. The movement of the horse made everything shake, and he put the rifle down before he misfired it. More arrows fell through the air around them. Jin raised the rifle again, taking a moment to figure out the pattern of the horse’s movement, and pulled the trigger. Where someone had been standing a moment before there was now a cloud of red. Jin swore as the recoil nearly knocked him off.

“In front!”

Jin swung the rifle around, reloading it as he lined up his sights. He finally got a good look at what exactly was after them, and he swallowed before pulling the trigger again. The rows of teeth were a dead giveaway as to who exactly was chasing them down. He had heard of and read about Tarkatans, but seeing them in person was totally different. He reloaded again, searching for another target. He ducked his head as another arrow soared through the air, a trail of fire in its wake. Jin searched the canyon until he saw the archer, aiming for them from a small alcove. Jin raised the rifle and pulled the trigger; the horse suddenly jerked to the left to avoid a trap buried in the sand, and the bullet imbedded itself in the stone, sending up a cloud of dust. It was enough to stop the archer from firing for a few moments, long enough for them to turn a corner and be out of sight.

The horse reared up suddenly, Jin throwing one arm around the man’s waist to stay on. He looked ahead of them to see more Tarkatans, arm blades extended as they advanced. Jin fired into the group, the bullet sailing through two targets before imbedding itself in the third. Only two shots left. The man aimed his revolver and shot into the group as well, several more falling. However their numbers were still greater, and Jin wondered how many bullets the man had left.

Suddenly the ground began to rumble and, with another shout, the man on the horse behind them threw both glowing arms in the air. The ground cracked and groaned, and several large chunks flew into the air. They hovered for a moment before the man dropped his arms, the rocks falling and smacking the ground. Jin could hear pained and panicked cries, and underneath it the sound of crunching bones. The dust settled in silence.

The man got off the horse and walked forward, examining the broken bodies. Jin set the gun on the saddle and got off as well, though it was more a controlled fall than anything. Jin picked his way forward through the still moving rock, the smell of gore thick. He looked down at the rubble, imagining all the Tarkatans trapped under there. He quickly turned his head, not wanting to see the carnage. A familiar shape caught his eye, and he bent down, gingerly picking it up. The bow was made of black wood, a piece of red stone carved as the grip. The string was surprisingly intact despite the falling rocks. The whole bow was very well cared for.

“A fine weapon.”

Jin jumped at the echoed voice. He spun around to see the hooded man floating a few inches above the ground in front of him.

“Forgive us, we did not mean to startle you.”

“No, no its alright. I didn’t hear you approach.” Questions were running through Jin’s head, but he kept silent.

“Indeed.” The hood was pulled back, revealing a bandaged face. “We are called Ermac.”

Jin blinked. He didn’t know either of their names did he? “My name is Jin.”

Ermac nodded, looking over Jin’s shoulder. Boots crunched against stone behind him. “My name is Erron Black.”

Erron stopped at Jin’s side and handed him a quiver of arrows. “Most of ‘em are broken likely, but you might find a few usable ones. Since you’re more of a bow guy.” Jin could tell he was smirking behind the mask.  
“Hey, I made most of my shots.” He inspected the quiver, taking out the broken arrows and leaving the few good ones. He strapped it across his chest, wondering what animal the bluish leather came from.

“We will need to find another way out of the canyon.” Ermac commented. “There are still Tarkatans on the other side of the rocks.

“There was a narrow path a ways back that might lead out.”

“Or funnel us into more trouble.” Jin added.

“We do not have a choice.” Ermac floated over to his horse and mounted, beginning to backtrack. “We will go ahead and see if it is safe.”

Erron nodded. “We’ll be along shortly.”

Ermac nodded and flicked the reins, his horse trotting down the path. Erron sighed and turned to Jin.

“Kid, you need to make a choice.” He pointed to the rubble behind him. “You continue on with us, things are gonna get intense real quick. You’re gonna get injured, you’re gonna get your feelings hurt, hell you’re likely to have your head stuck on a pike just for being an Earthrealmer.”

“But you’re -”

“I’m originally from Earthrealm, yes. However I have lived and bled here long enough that I consider myself an Outworlder, and most other people share the sentiment or leave well enough alone that it don’t matter.”

“I see.” Jin looked at the broken bodies beneath the rock, then at the clear sky above, then finally back to Erron. “Do I have to wear a stupid mask too or is that optional?”

Erron rolled his eyes. “Maybe it’d make your voice less annoying.”

“Doubt it.” Jin sighed. “Erron, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but there’s nothing for me to go back to. S-F will hunt me down, and either imprison me or kill me. Besides, injuries and hurt feelings aren’t anything new to me.”

Erron stared at him for a moment, searching for something, and nodding when he found whatever it was. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

He mounted his horse and held a hand out for Jin again. Jin took it and settled comfortably on the horses back, patting its side affectionately.

“Aw, I don’t get any pets for my hard work?” Erron asked.

“I can give you a swift kick in the ass for your smart mouth.”

“Pot calling the kettle there kid.”

Jin chuckled and held onto Erron’s shoulder for balance as the horse took off down the canyon. An odd mix of fear and excitement churned in his stomach, but he shook it off and kept his eyes on the canyon walls, looking for any Tarkatans left. The sun slowly peaked over the rubble behind them, and Jin let out a breath as a weight seemed to disappear from his shoulders. Maybe he wasn’t so screwed after all.


	4. Old Tricks, New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tarkatans are still hunting them, Jin's hair will not be tamed, and Jin meets another Erathrealmer in Outworld.

“So what are you two doing out in the desert?”

They hadn’t caught up with Ermac yet, the horses traveling at a sedate pace. The heat was starting to reach the bottom of the canyon, the sun blazing overhead. Jin had fished into the pack and retrieved his socks and sneakers, which while not ideal for the area were better than bare feet. Erron didn’t have any spare boots, and Jin doubted they would fit him anyway. 

“Heard rumors that there was a Tarkatan caravan traveling through the area. We were sent to wipe ‘em out.” Erron looked at Jin over his shoulder. “The Kahn’s havin’ a bit of trouble with ‘em. They’re leader, Mileena, believes herself to be rightful ruler of Outworld.”

“Is she? The rightful ruler, I mean?”

Erron scoffed. “The rightful ruler is the one that takes and holds power. Outworld’s a volatile place on good days.”

“I see.” Jin picked at a thread on his poncho. “You two work for the Kahn then?”

“I’m a mercenary, I work for whoever pays best. Working for the Kahn has some very nice benefits added on as well. Palace life can be surprisingly enjoyable.”

“And Ermac?”

Erron shrugged. “He has his own reasons for working for him. Honestly, I think it may be because it’s his best option. But who knows? We don’t exactly talk about our feelings.”

“Aw, really? I was hoping we could all have slumber parties together. Braid our hair, talk about boys, cuddle and watch cheesy movies.”

Erron barked a laugh. “You’re strange kid.”

Jin smirked. “Like you can talk. What’s with the raccoon eyeshadow and mask anyway?”

“It’s charcoal, not eyeshadow.” Jin could hear Erron rolling his eyes in his voice. “And anyway, it helps reduce glare from strong sunlight. Helps to see.”

“Really? Huh. Like what baseball players do?”

“Mhm.”

“I didn’t know that actually did anything. So what about the mask?”

Erron unconsciously reached up and rubbed the mask. “I’m a mercenary, remember? It helps if people can’t see my whole face, so I can disappear if I need to. It also offers protection from sand blowin’ around. There ain’t no escape from that in Outworld.”

“Lovely.” Jin sighed. 

“So, I’ve told you my life story. What’s yours?”

“I hardly think that’s all you have to say about yourself.” Jin frowned, thinking about what he should say. He had to be careful about what he gave away. “I left home when I was sixteen, became a thief, got in a brawl with a god, pissed off Earthrealm’s Special Forces, and now I’m here.”

The horse stopped suddenly, the momentum change throwing Jin head first into the cowboy’s back. Jin blinked and shook his head.

“You got in a fight. With a god.”

Jin looked up into charcoal ringed eyes. “Yeah. I tried to steal from him. We fought. I won, sort of. I’m pretty sure he went easy on me, but still.”

“Fuck, kid, the hell is wrong with you?”

“Hey! I had my reasons. He made me angry.”

Erron shook his head and nudged the horse forward again. “Whatever kid. Just don’t think about pulling stupid shit like that with me.”

“What, do I work for you now or something?”

“Yes.”

Jin blinked. “Oh. Um, okay.” He stuck his finger into a hole in the mercenary’s poncho. “Just like that huh?”

“Yup.”

“Guess I don’t have a choice?”

“Nope.”

“Gonna kill me when you’re done with me?”

“Depends. You gonna fight back?”

“Depends.”

“Glad we’re on the same page then.” Erron pulled on the reins, the horse stopping again. Jin peeked around his shoulders (good lord, they were _broad)_ to see Ermac floating towards them.

“The way ahead is clear. We suspect we are still being hunted; we have the option of being stealthy, or quick. We suggest moving quickly. There is an outpost nearby that we can use as a place to restock and, if needed, attack and defend from.”

“Sounds like the best option. How far out is it?”

Ermac tilted their head to the side, and the image of a puppy jumped to the front of Jin’s mind. “A short distance. If we run, perhaps twenty minutes time. We will be out in the open for most of the ride.”

“But so will they be if they follow us.”

“Would they try to follow us through the canyon here?”

Ermac and Erron both turned to Jin. “It’s narrow through here, and the walls are too steep to climb. It would be easy to trap them here.” he continued.

“You wish to fight them?” Ermac intoned. 

"That's what you were sent to do right? This is a great place for an ambush. Block off the exit, have one person lead them into the canyon, the other two fall in behind and attack from the rear. They’d have no where to go. If nothing else, it’d be easy to collapse the walls in on them.”

Ermac’s glowing eyes stared unblinking at him, and Jin felt the prickle at the base of his skull again. They turned their gaze then to the canyon walls, the sun overhead seeming to cause them no issue. Jin had to wonder not for the first time who exactly he was dealing with.

“It is a good plan.” The telepath finally spoke, nodding. “We will go and close off the exit.”

“Just make sure we can get out afterwards.” Erron called to his retreating back. “Not your first time setting up an ambush is it?” he asked.

“I used to draw people into dead end allies to steal from them. It’s the same concept, only I never killed anyone.”

“You okay with killing dozens of people with this?”

Jin sighed. “I don’t have a choice. It’s kill or be killed.”

“You catch on quick.”

“Necessary when you have to survive on the streets.” Jin slid off the horse, stretching his arms above his head and twisting at the waist. “I figured me or you would lead them in, then Ermac and whoever bring up the rear. No offense to Ermac, but he doesn’t seem like the running type.”

“True. We’ll leave the horses at the exit, keep ‘em out of the way.” Erron dismounted, flipping the reins over the horse’s head and using them to guide him forward. “They’re not exactly skittish, but they’re not the best combat mount in Outworld.”

“Dare I ask what is?”

Erron chuckled. “When we get to the palace, remind me to take you to the aviary.”

Jin shook his head with a chuckle. As they turned the corner Jin could see rocks floating lazily through the air, piling on top of each other where the canyon ended. Ermac paid them no mind as they walked past, focused on their work. Their horse was lying in the shadow of the canyon, obviously not bothered by the floating rocks. Erron’s horses eagerly joined it, the one with the pack nuzzling it.

“The exit is sufficiently blocked off. It will be a simple matter to dismantle it when we are finished.” Ermac said, placing the last rock.

“I guess we’re set then. So,” Jin turned to Erron, fist resting in his palm. “Rock paper scissors to see who gets to be bait?”

Erron snorted and pulled out one of his revolvers, pointing it at Jin. “Gun wins.”

Jin put his hands in the air and rolled his eyes. “And thus your true colors are revealed. Asshole.”

“Just get movin’ kid.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jin shook his head and walked back the way they had come from.

“Are all Earthrealmers so strange?” Ermac asked, floating beside him.

“Eh, we’re all pretty weird, but Erron and I are a special class called ‘insane’.”

“We see.”

Jin bit his lip. “If you don’t mind me asking, why do you use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’?”

“We are many.”

Jin looked over at the floating man. Ermac looked back, unblinking.

“You are still confused?”

“Uh-huh.”

Ermac looked to the ground as they thought. “This body is a… vessel. It houses thousands of souls, warriors of the past, with the combined strength and knowledge to make us the best fighter in Outworld. The combined mental force also allows us our telekinesis and telepathy.”

“Really? Wow. That’s impressive.” Jin pushed his hair out of his face, wondering if Erron had anything he could use as to tie it up. It was beginning to get annoying. “So how did that happen exactly? Just spontaneously or –”

“We were created. That is all we will say on the matter.” The harshness in their tone left no room for argument. Not like Jin would want to argue with them anyway.

“We will wait here.” Ermac said, stopping and looking at the canyon walls. “There is a natural alcove above. It will be easy to hide in and get back out of.”

Jin nodded. He turned his head and watched Erron approach, fiddling with his rifle. He couldn’t help but watch the way his hips moved as he walked, a definite sway to them. Ermac coughed, and Jin whirled around to face him, cheeks warm. The construct merely grinned at him.

“Everything in place?” Erron asked. Jin and Ermac nodded. “Then let’s get this show on the road.”

Jin turned and jogged towards the entrance of the narrow canyon, Ermac levitating up into the alcove and pulling Erron up after him. Jin could already hear Tarkatans ahead of him, speaking in their snarling language. He ducked behind a rock and took a steadying breath.

“It’s just like running from the cops Jin. You’re going to be okay. You’re faster than them. You’re smarter than them. You’ve got this.”

Pep talk complete, Jin sucked in a large breath and grabbed the bow he had picked up earlier. He nocked an arrow and popped up over the rock, taking half a second to aim before letting the arrow fly. It glowed a violent orange, the air hissing in its wake. It sunk into the chest of a Tarkatan, knocking him backwards. He howled in pain and clawed at the arrow, trying to remove it. The arrow burst into flame, sending the Tarkatan and his nearby comrades into a panic. His screams quickly stopped, leaving only the smell of burnt flesh. All eyes suddenly turned to Jin. He smiled, waved, and ran.

Dozens of soldiers followed after him, howling and cursing as they gave chase. He hadn’t seen any ranged weapons among them, but he didn’t want to look back and risk an arrow in the eye. His legs were burning in the way they always did when he ran, a good burn that made him want to run forever. He passed the alcove where Ermac and Erron were hidden, not stopping to look for them. The blockade loomed ahead of him. He skidded to a stop, cursing.

One of the Tarkatans spoke from behind him, chuckling darkly. Jin raised his bow again and let another orange arrow fly, hitting a Tarkatan in the shoulder. The others scattered to not get caught in the flames. Jin pulled another arrow out of the quiver and drew back, but didn’t release it. The Tarkatan – the leader, he assumed – said something to him again. He looked smug. Jin stood his ground, trying not to look behind them. The Tarkatan approached him slowly, arm blade extended. He was talking, gesturing with his other arm. Jin rolled his eyes and loosed the arrow, tired of listening to him even though he couldn’t understand him.

The arrow sunk in between his eyes. The Tarkatan stopped, starting to reach up towards the arrow. He collapsed before he could. The other Tarkatans stared at his body, as if they couldn’t believe what had happened. In a flurry of commotion, they charged Jin.

The ground below them opened up with a crack, glowing green tendrils grabbing them and dragging them into the pit. Several gunshots echoed through the canyon, Tarkatans falling with fist sized holes in their heads and chests. Jin shot an orange arrow into the panicked mass, the fire catching several of them. With only a few Tarkatans remaining, Ermac raised his arms, grabbing them and tossing them into the pit before closing it around them. Jin winced.

“What a way to go.” he mumbled.

“It was your idea kid.”

“Don't remind me.” Jin shook his head and turned to the horses still sitting in the shade of the canyon. He needed a distraction. Nausea and dizziness were starting to build. They looked up as he approached, the one with the pack rising to meet him. 

"I never asked, do they have names?" Jin asked. Erron shrugged behind him.

“Yeah. I call ‘em Marble, Granite, and Shale.” He pointed to each horse as he spoke.

“How original.” Jin huffed, petting the nose of the pack horse, Granite. A hand fell on his shoulder.

“You gonna be ok?”

Jin sighed. “I’d rather just move on. Not think about it. I’m not really big on killing people, even if it’s necessary.”

“That ain’t exactly healthy.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Jin turned to look at him. “I’ll be fine, just need a bit.”

“If you say so.” Erron removed his hand, walking over to where Ermac was moving the rocks of the barricade. Jin sighed and pressed his head against the side of Marble’s face. It was cool and smooth like the body, yet didn’t feel as stiff. Erron and Ermac were speaking in what Jin figured was an Outworld language, Ermac’s voice echoing even more than normal. It served only to make Jin feel out of place.

“What have I gotten myself into?” he whispered.

The path was cleared and they mounted, beginning their way to the outpost. They rode in silence, Erron and Ermac content not to talk and Jin ruminating on his current situation. It wasn’t until the outpost appeared as a speck on the horizon that Ermac spoke up.

“Why did your arrows glow while you were fighting the Tarkatans?”

“Hm? Oh, that.” Jin fiddled with the edge of his poncho. “It’s just something I do. I can’t really explain it. I can make them stun people too. They glow blue then.”

“Really? And you have no idea how you developed this power?”

Jin shrugged. “Not really. It’s just always been something I could do. Ever since I picked up a bow.” He didn’t mention his cousin Lao and his hat. The less they knew about that part of his background the better.

“Interesting. We have met people before who had similar abilities. Though they usually had a weapon or item that gave them such powers.” He looked thoughtful. “In fact, we used to have such a weapon. A sword that was constantly aflame, though produced no smoke and never burned us.”

“You reminiscing about the past old man?”

Ermac snorted. “You are hardly one to talk, Erron.”

Erron chuckled and shook his head. “Whatever you say ‘Mac.”

“Our name is Ermac. Address as such or not at all.”

“Why, Mac-Mac? Never had a nickname before?”

“We have many names. None so _childish_. Cease your actions.”

“Sure, uh-huh.”

“You two fight like you’re married.” Jin muttered with an amused smirk. Erron laughed.

“No thanks, I’m not a ‘settle down’ kind of guy. No matter how attractive the partner.” He winked at Ermac, who only shook their head.

“Likewise, we would not enjoy the mercenary’s… attentions for such a prolonged time.”

“He can’t be that bad.” 

“Oh, trust me kid, I can be.” Erron turned around, reaching behind Jin and grabbing the poncho. He pulled on it, revealing the bunched up fabric around the neck to be a hood. He pulled it down over his face, effectively hiding it.

“Now keep your head down and mouth shut. Don’t need anyone knowing who you are or where you’re from yet.”

“If they ask?”

“Just stay with one of us—actually, stay with me, I’ll do all the talking. Ermac can’t lie for shit.”

“We see no point in it. It serves us no purpose. The truth is usually much simpler.”

“Ain’t you I’m worried about.”

“Aw, you’re worried about me? How sweet to know you care.” Jin pat the mercenary on the shoulder.

Erron huffed. They approached the gate in the fence surrounding the outpost, two masked guards ushering them inside after realizing who they were. The gate closed behind them with a resounding _thud_ , effectively sealing them in. Another pair of guards ran up to take their horses, leading them in the direction of a large building; a stable, presumably. Erron and Ermac stood on either side of him as they headed deeper into the outpost, creating a barrier between him and everyone else. Judging by how everyone saluted and moved out of the way, he wasn’t sure how necessary it was.

“Go an’ ask for a set of rooms at the inn. Kid and I are gonna get somethin’ to eat.” Erron said quietly, grabbing Jin’s arm and leading him down an alley. Ermac turned and went the other direction.

“Hope you don’t have a sensitive stomach. Outworld food ain’t for the picky.”

“I eat just about anything that doesn’t eat me first.”

Erron chuckled, then paused. “Wait here.” He ducked into a building, leaving Jin in the alley. He shrugged and leaned against the wall, watching people wander the streets. A moment later Erron returned, a pair of dark brown boots in his hands.

“Here, put these on. Should fit.”

Jin took the boots and slipped off his sneakers, pulling the boots on in their place. They were tight at the top, creating a seal against sand.

“Good, they fit.” Erron kicked his sneakers into a pile of trash on the other side of the alley. “Ya look more like a proper Outworlder now.”

Jin grinned. “I think my face is too pretty to really blend in.”

Erron snorted, heading out of the alley. Jin followed behind, pulling the poncho a little closer to himself. Erron stopped in front of one of the many stalls lining the street, speaking to the vender for a moment before being handed two… somethings on skewers. He gestured to another alley, handing one of the skewers to Jin. He reached up and undid the buckle of his mask, sliding it off once they were out of sight.

“They’re shrews that burrow in the sand around these parts. Don’t have much taste on their own, but take up the flavor of what you cook them with.” Erron explained, taking a bite.

“Sand shrews, huh?” Jin chuckled. He took a bite, surprised by how good it tasted. “It’s spicy.”

Erron nodded. “A lot of Outworld food is. If it isn’t spicy, then it’s salty or bitter. The only thing considered sweet is certain types of fruit and some drinks, usually made from animal milk.”

Jin nodded, absorbing the information. “I can’t understand anything they’re saying.” he confessed.

Erron nodded again. “It’s the common language around here. Tarkatans speak they’re own language, and a lot of people around the palace speak English due to dealing with Earthrealmers in the past, along with various other languages from other realms.”

“Will you teach me their language?”

“Don’t have much of a choice. You’ll have to know it to survive.”

Jin nodded, finishing off the grilled shrew. They stood in silence, Jin watching the people and Erron watching Jin. Jin grunted as he saw Ermac through the crowd, making his way to them.

“There is a room ready for us. We told him that we would only be here two days max.”

“If that.” Erron turned to Jin. “You wanna head on over, or explore a bit?”

Jin shook his head. “I need to at least learn a bit of the language before I try and make friends.”

Erron nodded. “Good call.” He put his mask back on before walking out into the street again. Jin and Ermac followed suit.

“So if you’re so powerful, why follow his lead on everything?” Jin asked softly. Ermac shrugged.

“We are used to following orders. If we do not agree with what he is doing or saying, we make it known. We have no urge to lead.”

“Interesting.” Jin frowned. Something felt odd. “Hey, Ermac. I think someone is watching us.”

Ermac frowned as well. “You are correct. However, we cannot tell who exactly it is. Keep yourself covered.”

Jin nodded, subtly hunching his shoulders to appear smaller and pull the poncho closer. 

"Erron feels it as well.”

Jin looked at the mercenary. His pace hadn’t changed, but his shoulders were tense and his hands hovered above his revolvers. Jin bit his lip, looking around as best he could without moving his head.

“Well well, if it isn’t Erron Black.”

Jin’s head shot forward at the sound of the strong Australian accent. A large man stood in front of Erron, arms crossed across his bare chest. One of his eyes was missing, replaced by a cybernetic one that glowed red.

“And you have company!” The man shouldered past Erron, approaching Ermac. Jin could practically see his hackles raise. The man dropped his arms, revealing a matching piece of cybernetic machinery in his chest where his heart should have been.

“I remember you, mummy. Who let you off the leash, eh?” he turned his attention to Jin. “And what about you? Haven’t seen you around before.”

Jin ducked under the hand reaching for his hood, sidestepping to put Ermac between them. The man chuckled.

“No need to be shy, dear. Here, I’ll go first.” The man placed a hand across his chest and bowed. “My name is Kano. Your name?”

Jin remained silent, glaring at him. Kano frowned.

“That’s a little rude. Here I am, trying to be a proper gentleman, and you just brush it off.”

“I’ve seen livestock more gentlemanly than you.” Erron spoke. Kano whirled around to face him, only to be met with the business end of a revolver. “Kid’s with me, that’s all you need to know. Now scram, before I make you need more metal parts.”

“Hm, I see. Very well then.” Kano turned and bowed to Jin again. “Some other time then, boy.” The Australian sauntered off, the people he passed giving him the same wide berth they gave Erron and Ermac, but out of fear instead of respect.

“Fuck.” Erron holstered his gun once Kano was out of sight. “C’mon, we need to go.”

Ermac nodded, ushering Jin to follow the cowboy. He walked beside him, watching the passing people closely. The inn appeared soon, and they ducked inside, Ermac leading the way to their room. The door closed behind them, and Erron locked it.

“Fuck.” he repeated. He threw his hat onto one of the beds, running a hand through his hair. The mask quickly followed the hat.

“We were not aware Kano was in the area.” Ermac spoke, sitting cross legged on the floor.

“No shit.” Erron sighed, beginning to pace. “I’m not worried about meeting Kano. I’m worried about Kano meeting Jin.” He turned to look at Jin awkwardly standing by the door. “Stay away from him. The less you have to deal with him, the better.”

"Who is he though?"

“An Earthrealmer.” Erron crossed to the window, pulling the blinds. “Australian. He’s a mercenary, part of the Black Dragon.”

“A business rival?”

Erron scoffed. “Hardly. He makes me look like a damn saint in comparison. The guy’s got no morals to speak of, and’ll do anythin’ if ya pay him enough.” Erron shook his head. “Over priced bastard too. Don’t know what he’s doin’ in Outworld, but I don’t like it.”

“It would be best if we left as soon as possible.” Ermac said. He had begun levitating off the floor.

“Yeah.” Erron grabbed his hat and mask, putting them back on. “Stay here and try to get some sleep kid. We’re gonna ride through the night.”

Jin nodded, tugging the quiver strap over his head. “Where are you going?”

“Get some supplies. It’s three days and a bit to the palace, we’ll need a few things. If I’m not back in an hour,” he looked to Ermac. “come find me.”

Ermac nodded solemnly. Erron unlocked the door and shut it behind him, and Jin locked it back behind him. He sighed and took off the boots, setting them down beside one of the beds. The shirt and rope he used as a belt followed suit, the poncho folded up on top of the pile. He set the bow and quiver beside it. He fell into the mattress with a grunt, staring at the ceiling.

“You need not worry Jin. We do not require sleep, so we will watch over you.” Ermac mumbled.

“You don’t need sleep?” Jin turned on to his side to face the construct. Ermac shook his head.

“No. If a spirit among our number grows tired, they simply become quiet or dormant for a time. This body, as it is not human, does not require sleep. It is not to say that we cannot do so. We simply don’t _have_ to.”

“Huh. That’s convenient. Do you dream?”

“Not in the conventional sense. We see memories of the past, and occasionally premonitions of the future.”

“Cool.” Jin yawned, stretching across the bed like a cat. “This bed is comfy. So are you and Erron?” He made a vague hand gesture. 

“We are not in a relationship, if that is what you are asking. We do, however, occasionally satisfy each others… desires. If the mood strikes us.”

"Hmm. I knew you all had to be doin’ somethin’ together. Could tell by lookin’ at ya.” Jin’s face was buried in the pillow, and soon only his muffled breathing filled the room.

An echoing chuckle filled the room. “Sleep, Jin. You are safe with us.”

~~  
Erron returned almost an hour later with two packages, one long and narrow, the other a flat square. Jin had curled into a ball in his sleep, his hands twitching next to his face as he dreamed.

“We were about to come for you.” 

Erron shrugged. “I made a detour. Everything else is being delivered to the stables.” He nodded to Jin. “He been asleep all this time?”

“Indeed. He is plagued by dreams.” Ermac unfolded his legs so they touched the ground. “What are in those?”

“They’re for him.” He handed the boxes over, crossing to Jin and tapping him on the shoulder. Jin sprung up, immediately taking a defensive stance.

“Woah, easy kid. It’s just me.”

Jin continued to pant before the words finally sunk in and he collapsed back onto the bed. “Sorry.”

“Happens.” Erron gestured to Ermac for the packages. “I got ya somethin’.”

Jin looked up, using his hand to push the hair from his face. “I hope one of them is something I can tie my hair up with.”

“Not quite.” Erron chuckled. Ermac handed him the long box first. Jin opened it cautiously, smiling as he saw the contents.

“Nice.” He pulled one of the arrows out, inspecting it critically. Satisfied, he pulled the rest out and put them into the quiver, deciding to leave the ones he already had in there with them.

Ermac handed him the other package, and Jin opened it a bit more eagerly. He furrowed his brow at the contents, pulling out a half mask made of black wood.

“I know you probably don’t want to, but you need to keep your face covered. At least for now.” Erron took the mask from him and flipped it over. “It’ll cover your face from chin to the middle of your nose. Here.” He placed the mask against Jin’s face, then reached behind his head to buckle it. It was snug, but not restricting. Jin took a deep breath. The mask smelled of burnt wood and berries, likely what gave it its black color. There were three vertical slits over his mouth, allowing air to pass through. Erron stepped back, scrutinizing him.

“It’ll take some getting used to, but I think you’ll be fine. You’ll still need to wear your hood up.”

“Yeah.” His voice was slightly muffled and deeper than normal, but not noticeably. “Are we ready to go then?”

“Unless either of you have any unfinished business?”

Jin and Ermac both shook their heads. “We will go make the innkeeper aware of our departure.” Ermac said, already leaving the room. Jin began dressing again, too aware of the mask. Lost in his own thoughts he didn’t hear Erron approach him until hands were gathering up his hair. Jin stilled his movements as the mercenary smoothed his hair down, tying it all back once he was satisfied. He stepped around to stand in front of Jin, eyes crinkled in a smile.

“Satisfied?”

Jin reached back and touched the tie, a thick band of cloth and a small knot. He shook his head hard, the tie staying in place.

“Seems good to me.” He said at last. “Thanks.”

Erron shrugged. “Can’t fire a bow with your hair in your eyes. C’mon, Ermac’s waiting.”

Jin pulled the strap of his quiver over his head and picked up his bow, following Erron out to the stable. Ermac was already on his horse, holding the other’s in his fist. Erron took them from him and swung up, Jin following. They cut a quick path through the town, leaving through another gate. Jin turned his head as the gate closed behind them.

Kano stood in the middle of the road, smiling and waving. A sick feeling bubbled up in Jin’s throat, and he turned his head back to the expanse of sand ahead of them. Ermac looked back to him and nodded briefly before turning back to his conversation with Erron. Jin sighed and rested his head against Erron’s back. He had a feeling he’d be seeing the Australian again soon. He hoped he was wrong.


	5. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jin propositions Erron, they come to the palace, and Ermac has regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied, I ship Erron/Ermac as well as ErronJin.  
> Also. italics mean they are talking in the Outworld's language.

The first two days of their trip were uneventful. Erron started teaching Jin how to speak the main language in Outworld, both thankful that he was a quick study. Ermac watched and occasionally helped, but mostly stayed silent. By the morning of the third day, Jin could hold a very basic conversation.

_“Where is the building?”_

“No, no, it’s _inn_ , not _building_.”

“They sound exactly the same!” Jin threw his arms above his head.

“You’re putting the emphasis at the beginning of the word. You need it in the middle.”

Jin sighed, licking his lips. His tongue brushed against his mask, something he was still getting used to. “Alright, change of subject. How exactly are we going to explain to Kotal Kahn that you adopted an Earthrealmer?”

“Like that, basically.”

Jin blinked. “Seriously?”

“He doesn’t care so much what I do, as long as I get him results.”

“Do not be fooled into thinking that means he has a free reign.” Ermac added. “There are still rules that must be observed and followed.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Erron shrugged his shoulders. “Rules aren’t made to last forever. Eventually they gotta give.”

Ermac sighed, shaking their head. “They exist for a reason.”

“Yeah, so do poisonous snakes. Don’t mean I like ‘em.” Erron shrugged. “Now, c’mon kid, let’s go again. _What’s your name?_ ”

Jin groaned. _“My name is Jin.”_

_“Where are you from?”_

_“Outworld.”_

“Now ask me something.”

Jin pressed his forehead against Erron’s back. “Are we there yet?”

_“No.”_

_“Fuck you.”_

Erron laughed. “Gotta buy me dinner first kid.”

_“Where can I get food?”_

“Good, see? You’re learning. Here, try this one.” A stream of consonants flew from Erron’s lips, causing Ermac to chuckle.

Jin furrowed his brow. _“Can I get you—”_

_“Take you.”_

_“Can I take you to bed?”_

Erron threw his head back and laughed. _“Yes.”_

“What the hell did I just say?” Jin asked.

Erron shook his head, still shaking with laughter. Jin turned to Ermac, who grinned.

“You just propositioned him.”

Jin scoffed, thumping Erron on the back. “Ass.”

“Hey, it’s an important phrase to know.”

“Is it now?”

“Mhm.” Erron reached around and ruffled his hair. “Of course. People are always more willing to do what you want them to after a good fuck.”

“You say that like you’ve ever given one before.”

Erron whipped around to stare at Jin. Jin gave him best shit-eating grin behind his mask, sure that Erron could see it anyway.

"You got balls on you, kid, I’ll give you that.”

Jin opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Ermac.

“We are going to ride ahead and let Kotal Kahn know of our return.”

Erron nodded, and Ermac dug his heels into his mount’s sides, taking off ahead of them. Jin rolled his shoulders, feeling joints pop. They traveled in silence for a while after that, each entertaining their own thoughts.

“So why’d you become a mercenary?”

Erron startled out of his thoughts, thinking over the question. “It was the best option at the time. I needed money, people needed someone to do their dirty work. Everyone was happy. Eventually I came to enjoy the work and it just stuck.”

“So you started in Earthrealm?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d you end up here?”

Erron shrugged. “Just where the job took me.”

Jin hummed, not buying it. He didn’t press however, knowing he probably wouldn’t get any answers. There was still a lot of his past he hadn’t told Erron about, hopefully would never have to tell him.

_“Are you okay?”_

Jin blinked. _“Repeat that?”_

“Are you okay? _Are you okay?”_

“Oh. _Yes._ Tired, I guess.”

“We’re almost there. Look.”

Jin looked ahead, seeing the beginnings of a large wall and jutting above it, a few buildings. “Is everything surrounded by walls?”

“Keeps sand out. And people, if need be. But mostly sand.”

“Is there anywhere that isn’t buried in sand?”

“There’s snow up in the mountains north of here. To the east there’s swamp, and to the west there’s sand and, eventually, ocean.”

“Hm. Snow sounds great right now.”

Erron nodded. “I’ve been meanin’ ta take a trip up that way for a while now, supposed to be a lot of ruins up there. Wanna check it out, see if there’s anything there worth, ah, recovering.”

“Can’t steal from the dead.”

“Exactly.”

They rode the rest of the way in silence, guards saluting them as they entered the city. Jin’s eyes darted around, taking in every detail he could. Market stalls lined the streets, people shouting at each other, arguing over prices and materials. He watched a pickpocket snatch two gold coins from a woman’s purse, slipping away into the crowd easily.

“Something’s never change no matter where you go.” he muttered.

Erron didn’t reply, focused on navigating the horses through the throngs of people. Most of them got out of the way, but some stubbornly stayed, and one particularly angry looking woman glared at them as they past, though didn’t speak. Erron relaxed a bit as what Jin assumed to be the palace came into view. Large steps and terraced towers separated it from the rest of the buildings in appearance alone. Ermac stood at the top of the stairs, two guards on either side of him.

“Here kid, get off and go talk to Ermac.” Erron said, pulling on the reins to stop them at the foot of the stairs. Jin hopped off and began to ascend, hearing Erron take off into the other direction. As Jin approach Ermac however something felt wrong, the construct holding himself stiff and frowning harshly. Jin tilted his head to the side in silent question, but only received a shake of the head.

With a wave of his hand the guards swooped down on Jin, trying to restrain him. Jin shouted and managed to kick one off and down the stairs, wrenching his arm free of another one.

“What the hell Ermac?” he shouted. Ermac shook his head again. The second guard was back up, the one at the bottom of the stairs not moving. They finally managed to pull his arms behind his back, tying them together with thick rope. Jin smashed his head into one of their faces, hearing the crunch of cartilage. He turned his head and tried to bite another one, his teeth snapping around air as the guard managed to jump backwards. The final guard threw a sack over his head, tightening it with the attached strings. Blinded, he didn’t see the knee coming, unable to block its path to his stomach. He fell to his knees and gasped for breath, rolling to the side quickly. Sure enough, a foot stomped down where his head would have been. He stood and took a careful step down, listening for signs of another attack.

Instead he felt as though a fist was surrounding his body and squeezing, and through the thick material of the sack he could see green light. He struggled briefly, deciding quickly that there was no escape from the telepaths hold. He was lifted off the ground, and felt pressure build around his chest. He struggled again, feeling his lungs burn as he was denied room to breathe. His vision swam, and with a last gasp he let himself go limp.

Jin’s came to very slowly, his hearing the first sense to return. There were hushed voices, the scraping of metal on stone, screaming.

He was the one screaming.

With a flash of pain the rest of his senses returned, the smell and taste of bile and blood, rough chains pulling his arms above his head, feet barely touching the ground. Something hot was worming under his skin, something metal maybe? He could smell his own flesh burning, and more bile rose in his throat. The heat was removed, and something cold placed over the area. The brief relief was soon overcome with more pain as the nerve endings were subjected to the change in extremes.

An undeterminable amount of time passed, and then the pain was back, this time a series of cuts along his ribs. He tried to move away from the pain, only succeeding in straining his arms. Whoever was doing this worked in silence, not even making a sound as they breathed. They left as abruptly as they came, leaving Jin bleeding alone. 

He couldn’t tell how many more times they came and hurt him before the hood was lifted, and water was splashed in his face. He sneezed, shaking his head a bit. Some of the water ran into his mouth, and he drank it greedily. His vision slowly cleared, and looked to see Ermac floating before him. Jin snarled, grabbing the chains holding his arms and pulling himself up, swinging forward to kick at the construct. Ermac simply batted the weak attack away, letting Jin drop back down onto his feet. 

“You are very resilient.”

“Go fuck yourself!” he spat.

Ermac sighed, reaching forward and grabbing a fistful of hair, tilting Jin’s head back. “It is merely a precaution. Do not take it personally.” Something was wrong with the way he spoke. There was too much formality, too much coldness. None of the warmth that he had when he bantered with Erron or told Jin about the history of Outworld.

“A precaution against what?”

“You are from Earthrealm. You are the enemy. A threat. While you claim you entered this realm by mistake seeking escape, we are not convinced. We require proof.”

The tingling was in the base of his skull, building up to an uncomfortable pressure. It moved slowly along his skull, as if someone was going over every inch of it with a fine comb. 

“You—get out of my head!” Jin kicked at him again, this time Ermac pushed him backwards, causing the cuffs around his wrists to pull hard into his skin, yanking his arms higher. Jin cried out, tears rising at the corners of his eyes. His vision blurred and he panted for air. His shoulders burned, and he felt one almost dislocate. 

“Please.” He whimpered, raising his head to look at Ermac. “Please, just, stop.” The pressure was increasing, becoming almost unbearable. “It hurts, please.” He wouldn’t cry, he _wouldn’t_ , but it _hurt_.

All at once the pressure disappeared, and Jin gasped in relief. Ermac wrapped his arms around him, supporting his weight as a guard came in, and with a jingle of chains Jin’s arms were free. They fell uselessly to his sides, and he screamed at the sudden change, blood rushing in. He wobbled, unsure whether to be grateful for the arms supporting him or try to push away. A needle was pressed into his arm, something cold filling his veins. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His vision faded, and he once more went limp.

~~  
“You almost killed him.”

“We would have stopped long before that point.”

“Why did you have to string him up anyway? You could’ve read his mind without it.”

“Kotal Kahn—”

“Fuck Kotal Kahn.”

A door slammed and heavy footsteps approached. Jin fought to open his eyes, only making out the vague shape of a person. The person stopped beside him and began moving glass around, the sound too loud for Jin. He groaned, eyes closing. The sound stopped, and a hand pressed against his forehead.

“You awake kid?”

Jin tried to speak, but only managed a weak cough. But he recognized the voice.

“C’mon kid, sit up. Got somethin’ ta help ya.” Hands supported his back as he struggled, shoulders stiff and sore from being pulled above his head for so long. How long had it been?

“Here, drink this.”

Jin greedily accepted the water, then the second cup, and half of the third before he stopped himself. Erron sat the cup aside and picked up one of the glass objects, Jin’s blurred vision making out a small cylindrical shape. A vial?

“One more, then you can lie back down.”

It was thick, and reminded him of the drink they had forced into him in the desert, only much stronger. It made his head feel fuzzy, a better alternative to the fierce pounding it had been. Erron helped him lie back down, and sat on the bed beside him.

“I told you if you stuck with us you’d get hurt.”

Jin blinked, trying to clear his vision. It didn’t help much, but he could make out a few more vague shapes, rather than just blobs of color.

“Didn’t think you meant by you.” he croaked.

Erron shook his head. “The Kahn’s a suspicious man. He saw you as a threat, and demand you be interrogated, to figure out your true intentions. Personally, I think stringing you up was a bit much, but orders are orders. I think he wanted to test you. See what you were made of.”

“How long?”

“Two days in there, one and a half out here.”

Jin closed his eyes, taking inventory of himself. His shoulders were the worst off, even the movements of his chest as he breathed making them hurt. The various cuts and burns along his body had been stitched and bandaged, most occurring around his torso and arms. He opened his eyes again, looking up at Erron.

“How rough do I look?”

“Bout as rough as you feel.”

“Where’s Ermac?”

Erron turned to face the door. “Outside. He said he wanted to talk to you when you woke up.” Erron looked back at him. “I told him it’d be up to you whether you wanted to see him or not.”

Jin licked his lips, and Erron held the cup of water to his lips again. Jin drank slowly, his throat sore from shouting. 

“Go ahead and tell him to come in.”

Erron nodded, setting the cup down and walking over to the door. He opened it slightly and made a motion with his hand, walking back towards Jin as Ermac slipped inside. His head was lowered to the floor, hood hiding his face. He stopped several feet from the bed, shuffling in place before looking up. His green eyes dimmed, and he began fiddling with his hands.

“We offer our deepest and most sincere apologizes for what we did. We regret we had to hurt you, but we must follow orders from Kotal Kahn. We tried to dissuade him, but he was insistent.” His voice was back to normal, warm and sincere even in guilt.

“How much did you see? Inside my head?” Jin dragged in a rough breath.

“We saw your capture by S-F. We saw your escape. We saw your thoughts on both accounts, and found that you were, indeed, telling the truth about the events that led you here. You have no ill intentions towards Outworld or Kotal Kahn… as we suspected from the beginning.”

“You already knew that. You had read my mind before.”

“It was a very brief reading. We only wanted to know if your story was true. We did not read into your motivations for your actions at the time.”

Jin closed his eyes. The smaller cuts were starting to itch, a sign of healing, and without thinking he reached down to touch one. He screamed as his shoulder moved, waves of pain radiating throughout every nerve in his body. Muscles started to spasm in response, confused by the signals being sent. They moved from his shoulder to his whole body until he was convulsing on the bed, feeling stitches open. Hands pressed against his chest and held him against the bed as another hand pressed something against his forehead. Immediately the convulsions slowed, and within a minute stopped altogether, leaving Jin barely conscious. The hands pulled away, moving to pull the blanket up to his chin where it had tangled around his legs. Fingers ran through his hair as he began to drift off, and he almost thought he heard someone humming.

Erron stood once Jin slipped into unconsciousness, motioning for Ermac to follow him. The construct obeyed without question, feet making almost no sound on the stone floor.

“I can always tell when you’re upset because you stop floating.” he commented.

Ermac nodded. “If I levitate while I am too distracted, I tend to wander and get lost. Or float up to the ceiling.”

Erron nodded to the guards that stood on either side of the doors. “No one goes in there except me or Ermac. Understand?”

They nodded and saluted, dropping the stance as the pair continued down the hallway. Erron waited until they had turned the corner before facing Ermac.

“How bad is he gonna be long term?”

“He will make a full physical recovery. We will make sure of that. Mentally however,” Ermac sighed, “we have betrayed his trust and his privacy. We will not be surprised if he never forgives us. He is… guarding something, within his mind. It is an old set of memories, so we do not think they are a threat but… we still wonder what he is so fiercely keeping secret.”

“Everyone has ghosts following them around.”

“Perhaps.” Ermac leaned forward until his forehead rested against Erron’s shoulder; quite the stretch, considering the extra inches he had on the other. “We regret our actions.”

“That’s a normal way to feel.”

“Make it stop.”

Erron pat the back of his head, causing the telepath the look up. “C’mon, you’ve been goin’ for what, five days now? Ya need some rest.”

“We are not sleepy.”

“Didn’t say sleep. Said rest. Not the same thing. Besides, I’m sleepy.”

Ermac chuckled. “Very well, we will accompany you then.”

“You say that like you have a choice.” 

“When do you think he’ll wake up?” Erron said after a moment. Ermac sighed.

“Late enough for us to already have done damage control hopefully.” He paused mid-step, turning to Erron. “Why do you care so much about him?” The question was innocent, rather than accusatory. “We do as well; he is nice. But you seem to be attached to him.”

“Dunno.” Erron shrugged. “Just am, I guess. Can’t explain it.”

“Let us hope it does not come back to bite you.”

“Yeah.” Erron sighed. “Let’s hope.”


	6. Tests and Limitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jin meets Kotal Kahn, Erron is concerned, and Ermac is Kotal Kahn's favorite spy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I'm so sorry this took so long! I had major writer's block, it was horrible. Hopefully the next part will be smoother.

_He was floating; it felt like he was floating anyway. It was hard to tell in the complete darkness, especially considering he had no idea which way was up._

_Jin sighed, and suddenly there was light, slowly growing until he was standing in the middle of a field, watching two figures in the distance. One was obviously much smaller than the other, and as he approached he could hear the high pitched laughter of a child._

_“You’re doing good, Kung Jin! Soon enough, you’ll be even better than I am!”_

_The five year old Kung Jin giggled, continuing to clumsily weave the reeds together. His bare feet splashed in the shallow water of the river, watching as his mother washed their clothes in the deeper parts. “Nu-uh! You’re the best!”_

_His mother giggled and straightened from her bent position. “You’re such a sweet boy.”_

_Jin smiled proudly and turned back to his project, sticking his tongue out as he put the finishing touches on it. “Look! I did it!”_

_The older Jin, watching from a few yards away, watched his younger self heft a very messy reed basket above his head. There were strands sticking out oddly and a hole in one side, but it was something he had made. And his mother had such a proud look in her eyes, and took the basket and kissed his forehead, and_ fuck _Jin was crying, the memory fading away. His mother had gotten sick soon after that, health deteriorating quickly until she was gone, and then half a year later his father was remarried and Jin was left mourning a woman no one else seemed to care to._

_The blackness shifted again, and he was standing in front of his father, head bowed, refusing to look him in the eye. Refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing the blossoming bruise on his right jaw._

_“You are disgusting. No boy should do that with another. It is not right.”_

_Jin remained silent._

_“You are not even ashamed? Figures.”_

_There was a bag thrown at his feet._

_“Take your things and leave. Do not come back.”_

_Jin hadn’t moved until his father had left the house, and then he had taken the bag and blindly shoved things in it. Clothes, money, food. He didn’t have many possessions, except his bow and the simple bracelet his mother used to wear, a leather strap with a dragon imprinted on it._

Jin woke with a gasp, knowing immediately that he was crying. This wasn’t the first time it had happened, his sleep tormented by memories. He sat up slowly, sheet pooling around his hips, and shrieked as he realized Erron was sitting on the bed less than half a foot from him.

“What the hell?”

“Relax, kid. Just makin’ sure you were alright. Started thrashin’ a bit, wanted to make sure you weren’t hurtin’ yourself again.”

Jin sighed through his nose, hunching over. “Nah, I’m pretty much one hundred percent now. Just…” he ran a hand through his loose hair, “memories. Stuff that I’d rather forget.” He looked down at his right wrist, the leather bracelet tightly secured.

“Mm, I understand.” Erron reached up and unhooked his mask, setting it on the floor beside the bed and lying down. “Care to share?”

“Not really.”

“Figured.”

Jin looked at Erron, watching as he slowly relaxed, eyes closed and breathing slowly. His hair had gotten longer, and Jin knew he was getting ready to cut it soon. It framed his face nicely though, the ends curling in and brushing against the strong jaw. He had a really nice face in general. Jin bit his lip and turned his head. The two months of bed rest and recovery had allowed him plenty of time to get to know the mercenary better, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t have a crush on him. Then again, he was good at lying.

“Hey.”

Jin grunted and turned back to look at Erron. “What?”

Erron yawned and lazily kicked his boots off. “Didn’t take you as someone who slept commando.”

Jin blushed vibrantly and swallowed the nervous response of pulling the sheet higher. “Like the view?”

Erron chuckled as an answer. Jin laughed and stretched his arms above his head. His right shoulder protested, but it was usable, and that was more than he had hoped for. “Going to take over my bed then?”

“Depends, you gonna stay in it?”

Jin huffed and shook his head, standing and grabbing his pants from where they were draped over a chair. He could feel Erron’s eyes on him, and tried not to show the effect it had on him. From the way Erron chuckled, he was sure it didn’t work.

“Where’s Ermac at?”

Erron frowned and shrugged. “Haven’t seen them in a few days. Kahn’s been keepin’ them busy.”

Jin sat back down on the bed, legs crossed under him. “No idea what with?”

“Nope. Don’t even know if they’re in the palace or not.”

Jin nodded and began to move his right arm, wincing as his shoulder popped loudly. He had regained use of his left arm a few weeks ago, but the right still gave him trouble. He startled as hands gripped his bicep, pulling his arm out to the side.

“How long can you hold it like this?”

Jin bit his lip as his arm began to shake. “Not long.”

“Hmm. Lift it as high as you can.”

Jin lifted his arm slowly, stopping with a wince once his arm was fully lifted. “It hurts pretty bad.”

“You still can do it though. It’s progress.” Erron sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Kotal Kahn wants to meet you. I’ve been keepin’ him off, sayin’ you’re still recovering, but you’re pretty much better now.”

Jin licked his lips nervously and nodded. “What do you think he wants to meet me for?”

“Well, you have been living under his roof for a while now. He’s curious, probably.” Erron flipped over onto his stomach, pillowing his head on his arms. “I’ll be there, when he does talk to ya. Don’t know how much help I’ll be, but it’s better then nothin’.”

“Thanks Erron. I appreciate it.” Jin fiddled with the drawstring of his pants, trying to sort through the mess in his head. “Do you think he wants to kill me?”

“Doubt it. He wouldn’t have bothered to let you heal, just reached in and ripped your heart out.”

The blood immediately left Jin’s face. “He _what_?”

Erron laughed. “That’s how he does it. Or he lets D’vorah take care of ya. Trust me when I say you’d rather have Kotal fondling your insides.”

Jin shook his head. “Lovely. Anything else I should know?”

“Not really. Don’t be a smart ass if you can help it.”

Jin snorted. “I’ll try, though I make no promises.” He stared at the door. “When do I have to meet him?”

“Tomorrow, if you’re feelin’ up to it.”

“And if I’m not?”

“Then I got a feelin’ he’s gonna come to you.”

Jin heard the unspoken warning and shivered. “Yeah, ok. So, tell me,” he said, desperate to change topics. “How’d your mission go?”

  
Jin couldn’t stop fiddling with the ties on his bracer. He had given up pacing when he had noticed the scuff marks he was leaving on the floor, and now had nothing to do but sit and wait for Erron to come get him. He didn’t have much to work with when it came to what the Kahn looked like, aside from Erron calling him a “big blue rooster” with a particular emphasis on the big part.

Jin’s imagination was going wild.

When the knock on the door finally came, Jin leapt off the bed, both in surprise and in eagerness to get this over with. Erron poked his head inside and nodded to him, holding the door open until Jin was through it. Four guards stood behind Erron, and Jin was thankful for the mask on his face so they couldn’t see the nervous twitch of his mouth.

"How're you feelin'?" Erron asked softly, leading him down the hallway.

Jin shrugged. “Nervous. Kinda sick to my stomach.”

Erron nodded. “Normal. Just watch your mouth and it shouldn’t be too bad.” He paused for a moment. “Ermac is back.”

Jin looked at him. He was looking at the floor. “Are they ok?”

“Don’t know. They came in this morning and immediately fell asleep. Been that way since this morning.”

“Can I see them after this?”

“Maybe.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Jin feeling the eyes of the guards on his back. They weren’t heavily armed, but they still carried short swords attached to their belts and Jin had nothing but his wits.

They turned the corner and came face to face with half a dozen more guards surrounding a large pair of doors. Jin froze, his mind warping the image until the doors were illuminated by candlelight, the guards were _statues, and beyond that door lay his target, the little jade statue given in Kung Lao’s honor, and he was going to do this, because he had a point to prove, and no god or man was going to stop him, and—_

“Jin!”

Jin drew in a ragged breath, blinking several times. The darkened hall turned back into the sandstone one, and the guards were staring at him behind their masks. Erron had a hand on his shoulder, head tilted to the side and eyes narrowed in concern.

“I… I…” Words wouldn’t come, sticking in his throat, why was breathing so _hard_ all of a sudden.

“Easy kid, it’s ok.” The hand moved off his shoulder to his back, running up and down in small circles.

Jin closed his eyes, focusing on Erron, the movement of his hand and the crooning of his voice. He’d probably be a great singer.

“I’m ok. I just… yeah. I’ll be ok.” he rolled his shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”

Erron didn’t look convinced, but nodded anyway and led Jin to the door, hand still on the small of his back. Jin swallowed as the door heaved open, revealing the huge throne room. More guards flanked the walls inside, and there at the end was the Kahn himself.

Big blue rooster indeed.

He towered over all the guards in the room as he stood, skin a turquoise color and a headdress of feathers atop his head. He wore a serious expression, irisless eyes staring at Jin as they approached. With a nod of his head most of the guards left, only a few remaining by the doors. Silence descended upon the room, Kotal Kahn staring down at Jin and Jin doing his best not to fidget.

“So.” The Kahn started. “This is the Earthrealmer.”

“Yes sir.” Erron answered.

Kotal Kahn nodded, approaching slowly. He circled Jin, looking him over, as if assessing his worth with nothing more than his eyes. He probably was.

“Tell me, Earthrealmer, why I should not throw you out the window and into the streets below to die?”

Jin narrowed his eyes, thinking. He had two options: be placating and demure, or be stubborn and sarcastic.

“Be a waste of a damn good archer.”

Erron tensed beside him, though only for a second. “He did help Ermac and I take out the Tarkatan caravan.”

Kotal Kahn hummed thoughtfully, putting a hand to his chin. He looked out the window, then back to Jin. “A test then. To see if your skills are as good as the two of you claim.” He walked over to the window, staring out into the city. “Be in the central courtyard in fifteen minutes. I will have a test awaiting you.”

Jin opened his mouth to say something, but the hand on his shoulder cut him off.

“Yes sir.” Erron said, bowing and pulling Jin with him to do the same.

Kotal Kahn waved them off, still staring out the window. Erron tugged on Jin’s shoulder, leading him out of the room and into the hallway. Once they were out of sight and earshot of the guards, Erron released a sigh and Jin’s arm.

“Well, that went better than expected.” He pulled his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair. “C’mon, we need to get you a bow.”

“What happened to the one I had?”

“Got destroyed. Don’t worry, we have plenty of others.” Erron put his hand back on Jin’s shoulder and led him forward. “So, what did you think of Big Blue?”

“Big and blue are very good descriptions. He seems…”

“Intense?”

“Concerned.” Jin shook his head. “Something was bothering him. He was distracted.”

Erron raised a brow. “Really?”

Jin shrugged. “I’m a good judge of character.”

“Obviously not, to be running around with me.”

“Or maybe I’m not who you think I am.”

Erron didn’t reply, and when Jin looked over he saw him looking back at him with concerned eyes.

“What happened back there? You seemed—”

“Don’t.” Jin swallowed the biting response off his tongue. Erron hadn’t done anything wrong after all. “It’s a long story I’d rather not talk about.”

“Kid.”

“Just leave this one Erron. At least for now.” He really didn’t have any plans on telling him, but hopefully it’d placate him for now.

The look Erron gave him promised he wasn’t letting it go. Whatever he wanted to say now was put on hold as he nodded to a pair of guards standing in front of a plain door. They nodded back and moved to the side, allowing the two men to pass. The door revealed a flight of stairs spiraling down out of view. The door closed behind them with an echoing thud, and Jin gasped as he felt himself pressed hard against the cool stone of the wall.

“Look kid.” Erron bit, the grip he had on his upper arms feeling like iron shackles. “Aside from the fact that I kinda like ya, I’m also putting my head on the line by vouching for ya. So I’m gonna need ya ta stop with the tough guy act, ok? You ain’t on your own here.”

Jin couldn’t seem to drag his gaze away from the honest look on the mercenary’s face. He was so close, he could just lean forward a bit and—

“Sorry.”

Just like that the iron grip was gone, instead calloused hands moving to the area between his neck and shoulder, fingers digging into the muscle not to hurt or trap, but to relax.

“I’m just,” He trailed off, looking at the wall beside Jin’s head.

“Concerned?” Jin supplied. Erron laughed humorlessly.

“Yeah. We’ll call it that.” Erron heaved a sigh. “Somethin’ big is gonna happen soon. It’s why Ermac has been gone so much recently. They’ve been searching for information.”

“And?”

“They said they couldn’t tell exactly, but it wasn’t the Tarkatans. It was somethin’ worse.” Erron shook his head. “They don’t like it. I don’t either.”

“Is that why Kotal Kahn is concerned?”

“Probably. Just another thing on his plate.” Erron released him with a hint of reluctance, and began to walk down the stairs. “C’mon, we need to get a move on.”

Jin followed wordlessly, turning everything over in his head. A vague sense of anticipation washed over him, sending a shiver up his spine. They descended in silence, spiraling down until they came to another plain door. Erron shoved it open, passing through and holding it open for Jin to follow. Jin looked around the room, mouth falling open.

It was a vault, with a high ceiling and row of shelves lining the walls, weapons of every type and design displayed. Some of them he had no idea what they even were.

“Pretty nice, huh?” Erron leaned against the door, watching Jin look around in awe. “Bows are fourth set of shelves on the left. Pick wisely.”

Jin nodded, his feet guiding him forward. He was trying to stare at several things at once, sharp blades and massive shields and grotesque helmets. He stopped before the bows, eyes dancing across each one, biting his lip as he thought. He picked one up, twisted and made of black metal, before shaking his head and setting it back down. He repeated the process twice more, each time frowning and shaking his head. He stepped back from the shelves, looking all the bows over once more before sucking in a breath, eyes widening.

“That one.”

He gripped the second to top shelf, placing his feet on the bottom shelf and pulling himself up, reaching for something up there. Erron watched on, hoping the other Earthrealmer wouldn’t fall. Finally he seemed to grab whatever he was reaching for, and hopped back onto the ground with a grin.

“This one.” he claimed breathlessly. “It’s perfect.”

The bow was made of wood and metal, the grip wrapped in white cloth. Two hooks stuck out above and below it, and at the top of the bow was an ornate carving of a dragon’s head. A green jewel rested in its mouth, emitting a soft glow.

“Ya sure that’s the one?”

“Yes.” He quickly strung it, pulling back on the string and then letting it go slowly. “Yes, this is the one.”

Erron nodded and pushed off the door, walking over to another set of shelves and shuffling things around. After a moment he turned and handed Jin a quiver full of arrows, watching as he put the strap over his head.

“Let’s go then. Don’t wanna keep the Kahn waiting.”

  
Kotal Kahn was waiting for them when they arrived, arms crossed over his chest and flanked by guards. He nodded to them as they approached, gesturing across to the other side of the courtyard.

“That is your target.”

Jin looked around him, brow furrowed. There was a small straw sack hanging off a post with a red circle painted on it. While it was a small target, and there was a little wind making it sway back and forth, and it was hardly a challenge. Did the Kahn think that little of him?

“Black, go stand ten paces in front of the target.”

“What?” Jin gaped at him. “You want me to shoot _through_ him?”

Kotal Kahn glared down at him. “No. You are to hit the target without hitting him.”

“But—”

“ _Just do it, Jin._ ” a voice echoed in his head. “ _Do not question him._ ”

Jin looked around and—there, standing in the shadows of an archway above them was Ermac, watching. They nodded, and Jin felt himself relax, if only a little bit. Erron was already moving into position, removing his hat and poncho and setting them on the ground beside him. Jin swallowed nervously.

The little red target seemed to line up perfectly behind his head.

Jin raised the bow with surprisingly steady hands, watching the movement of the target.

“I am not a patient man, Earthrealmer. Hurry up.”

Jin bit back what he wanted to say in favor of pulling one of the arrows from the quiver. He took a deep breath, setting the arrow on the string and pulling back. Erron’s eyes were closed, his head tilted back just enough to pull at his throat and and arms folded behind his back. He looked like he was awaiting an execution.

Jin watched as the target appeared to the left of Erron’s, just a sliver of it, then on the right, then the left again. Kotal Kahn opened his mouth, eyes narrowed, and Jin loosed the arrow.

He closed his eyes the second the arrow was free, waiting for the sound of an arrow sinking into skin and bone, the thud of a body on the ground, and then he would be fucked, absolutely fucked in every sense, and—

The arrow made a soft dragging sound as it stopped.

Jin opened his eyes, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding and barely remaining on his feet. The arrow sat perfectly on the edge of the target, still swinging gently in the dry breeze. He lowered the bow, watching as Erron opened his eyes. They crinkled in a smile, and one closed in a wink, before he was bending over to pick up his hat and poncho. A warm tingle of – happiness, pride?— curled around his mind, and while it was still disturbing to have someone else in his head, it was also comforting.

He turned to the Kahn, feeling his own sense of satisfaction as he saw the mild surprise on his face.

“Very well. You may stay and work for me.” With that he was leaving, guards following him. Jin stared, and once he was out of sight threw his arms up with a sound of disgust.

“What a fucking honor!” He shook his head, tightening his grip on the bow. Erron approached him, wordlessly gripping his bicep and leading him back into the palace. They passed through several hallways and stairs before Erron pushed him into a room. Ermac was already sat inside, levitating at the end of the bed. Looking around Jin realized he was standing inside of the quarters they shared.

“Nice place.”

“Mhm.” Erron threw his hat and cloak off and over the back of a chair, unbuckling his mask and setting it down with them. “So, did you think you were gonna hit me?”

Jin shrugged, following his lead and taking off his mask. “I mean, there was a small chance of course. But I was confident.”

“Liar.”

Jin glared at Ermac. They shrugged, placing their hands in their lap. “Your nervousness was obvious, even without the use of telepathy.”

“It don’t really matter. I was pretty nervous myself.” Erron chimed in. He was leaning over a wash basin in the corner of the room, scrubbing at his face. “Was half expecting Kotal Kahn to pull somethin’.”

“He thought about it.”

“Figures.” Erron pulled his shirt over his head, using it to rub his face dry. “Bastard can never stand to lose.”

“He stands to lose much.”

Erron waved his hand dismissively, walking over to the bed and flopping face down onto it. “In case you hadn’t figured it out, you’ll be bunking with us from now on kid. They’re gonna be dragging an extra bed in here later today.” He peered at Jin over his shoulder. “Unless you wanna share?”

Jin laughed. “Yeah, mhm. Because that seems like a good idea.” He shook his head, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting his head in his hands. “This all seems a little anticlimactic. I was expecting like some final judgement or something.”

Ermac and Erron shared a brief look. “There is still time for that. For now, you are a small problem amongst a sea of others. Something to be thankful for.” Ermac said, putting his hand on Jin’s shoulder. “Just let it happen, Jin. It is the best course of action.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You do not have to.”

Jin grunted and looked around the room. Erron was already out cold, snoring softly into the pillow. The room was filled with all sorts of things, pieces of guns and tools scattered about a table, piece of clothing across the floor, several shelves filled with books. It was very well lived in, and Jin couldn’t help but fill a little out of place.

“Have you ever played chess?”

Jin whipped his head back around to look at Ermac. “Like, Earthrealm chess? Yeah, years ago. Why?”

Ermac unfolded their legs and floated across the room, taking a box off one of the shelves and setting it on a table. “This game is similar to it in play style. The rules are different, obviously, and the pieces are not the same exactly, but it is similar.” Ermac looked up. “We thought you might enjoy playing with us.”

Jin tilted his head to the side, looking between the construct and the box. He nodded and stood, watching Ermac smile and open the box, unfolding a board and setting it on the table. “The rules go like this…”


End file.
